Vitit Muntarbhorn
Vitit Muntarbhorn | |
|---|---|
วิทิต มันตาภรณ์ | |
Muntarbhorn in 2011 | |
| United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children | |
| In office 1991–1994 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Ofelia Calcetas-Santos |
| United Nations Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity | |
| In office August 2016 – October 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Victor Madrigal-Borloz |
| United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia | |
| Assumed office March 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rhona Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 1952 (age 73) |
| Nationality | Thai |
| Alma mater | |
Vitit Muntarbhorn (born 1952) (Thai: วิทิต มันตาภรณ์, RTGS: Withit Mantaphon) is an international human rights expert and professor of law at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.[1][2]
He has been involved in various UN activities and has served as an expert or consultant with the OHCHR, UNHCR, UNDP, FAO, UNICEF, UNESCO, the WHO and the United Nations University.[2]
Biography
Muntarbhorn, born in November 1952, was educated at Oxford and Free University of Brussels, and was called to the Bar in England before going on to lecture in law at various universities in Austria, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Switzerland and Thailand.
He served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography from 1990–1994. In 1994, he coedited with C. Taylor a paper on human rights in Thailand.[3] In 2004, he was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education.[2][4] He was involved in the elaboration of the Yogyakarta Principles on LGBT rights.
In 2018, he was recipient of the Bonham Centre Award from the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies.[5] He also was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[6]
Posts
North Korea
Muntarbhorn was nominated to the position of United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) from 2004 until 2010.[1] Despite North Korea's repeatedly rejected his requests for meetings, he produced multiple reports regarding the situation of human rights in North Korea.[7]
- Human Rights Council Session 4th Document Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Vitit Muntarbhorn A/HRC/4/15 7 February 2007.
- Human Rights Council Session 7th Document Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Vitit Muntarbhorn A/HRC/7/20 15 February 2008.
Ivory Coast
In 2011, Muntarbhorn was the Chair of the International Commission of Inquiry on the Ivory Coast, which also included Reine Alapini-Gansou and Suliman Ali Baldo.[8]
Syria
From 2012 until 2016 Muntarbhorn was one of the Commissioners of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. The Commission produced various reports investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2016, Muntarbhorn stepped down when the UNHRC designated him the first UN Independent Expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.[9]
Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity
In his first report Muntarbhorn identified six key underpinnings for the mandate of the Independent Expert: (A/HRC/35/36)
- the decriminalization of consensual same-sex relations and of gender identity and expression;
- effective anti-discrimination measures
- the legal recognition of gender identity
- destigmatization linked with depathologization
- sociocultural inclusion; and
- education with empathy.
His second report (A/72/172), addressed the first two issues. Muntarbhorn resigned on 31 October 2017 for private reasons. His successor, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, covered the remaining topics in his 2018 and 2019 reports.[9]
Cambodia
Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn was appointed as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia in March 2021.[10]
References
- ^ a b Profiles of our Distinguished Academic Members, Chulalongkorn University, 2009, retrieved 2010-01-21
- ^ a b c Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand), ILO biographical note (PDF), ILO, 2009, retrieved 2011-10-02
- ^ Vitit Mintarbhorn, Taylor, C: Road to Democracy: Human Rights and Human Devepolment in Thailand, 1994
- ^ Vitit Muntarbhorn wins the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education, UNESCO, 2004-12-11, archived from the original on 2005-03-24, retrieved 2010-01-21
- ^ "Bonham Centre Awards Gala 2018". Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
- ^ "Honorary British Awards to Foreign Nationals – 2018". 6 February 2019.
- ^ Yoo, Jee-ho (2010-01-16), "UN official on Pyongyang leaving empty-handed", Joongang Ilbo, retrieved 2010-01-21
- ^ "Report of the independent, international commission of inquiry on Côte d'Ivoire (A/HRC/17/48) (Extract) [EN/FR] - Côte d'Ivoire | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ a b "Vitit Muntarbhorn". OHCHR. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "OHCHR | Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia".