The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) supports a number of special procedures (also known as Independent Experts, Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups) that may be used to promote minority rights. Their mandates are usually to examine, monitor, advise and publicly report on human rights situations in specific countries or territories, known as “country mandates”, or on major phenomena of human rights concern worldwide, known as “thematic mandates”. Various activities are undertaken by special procedures, including responding to individual complaints, conducting studies, providing advice on technical cooperation and engaging in general promotional activities. Most receive information on specific allegations of human rights violations and send urgent appeals or letters of allegation to governments asking for clarification. They also carry out country visits at the invitation of the country concerned.