The special procedures of the Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective. The system of Special Procedures is a central element of the United Nations human rights machinery and covers all human rights: civil, cultural, economic, political, and social. As of 1 August 2017, there are 44 thematic and 12 country mandates.

With the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), special procedures undertake country visits; act on individual cases and concerns of a broader, structural nature by sending communications to States and others in which they bring alleged violations or abuses to their attention; conduct thematic studies and convene expert consultations, contribute to the development of international human rights standards, engage in advocacy, raise public awareness, and provide advice for technical cooperation. Special proceduresreport annually to the Human Rights Council; the majority of the mandates alsoreports to the General Assembly. Their tasks are defined in the resolutions creating or extending their mandates.

Albania has a very good cooperation with UN Special Procedures. It follows up in collaboration with the OHCHR Secretariat of SP, individual complaints cases against Albania, and Special Rapporteurs’ questionnaires according to the themes required by the Rapporteurs.