4.2 European mechanisms : As has already been stated, ECHR was the first human rights treaty to provide mechanisms for enforcement, and to some extent it has served as a model for other regional agreements. In recent years, the system established under ECHR has been subject to considerable criticism, much of it related to the cost and time involved in bringing cases to conclusion. The Council of Europe has been

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for Human Rights. The recommendation was acted upon by the UN General Assembly in December 1993 when it voted in favour of creating such a post. In February 1994, Jose Ayala Lasso from Ecuador was appointed the first UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and he is to serve for an initial term of four years. The High Commissioner has responsibility for co-ordinating UN human rights activities and for promoting and protecting human rights. It remains to be seen what effect the appointment will have on international human rights.