27 November 2006 - Child Rights and the new Human Rights Council 14
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- Latest: Human Rights Council opens resumed second session
- NGO side event: Placing the rights of the child on the Council agenda
- Call for contributions: Report of the Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders
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Latest: Human Rights Council opens resumed second session
The Human Rights Council this morning opened its resumed second session, adopting three Resolutions and seven Decisions on: the review of the mandates of the Council, access to water, extreme poverty, human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan, the right to truth, the incompatibility between democracy and racism, access to medication in the context of pandemics, the right of everyone to health, the effects of economic reform policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of all human rights, and integrity of the judicial system.
After the Council concludes taking action on deferred draft Resolutions and Decisions, it will start its scheduled third session, which will end on Friday, 8th December 2006.
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=11549
Further information
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NGO side event: Placing the rights of the child on the Council agenda
The NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child will hold a side event during the next session of the Human Rights Council, on 29th November 2006. The NGO Group Subgroup for the HRC is following current discussions and negotiations regarding the mainstreaming of child rights into the Human Rights Council, and seeks to work alongside the Council to strengthen human rights and child rights standards worldwide.
The side event will be a briefing concerning the Subgroup's second call for action by the Council. The call for action results from an informal brainstorming attended by child and human rights organisations in Geneva on 26th September 2006, attended by Subgroup members, NGOs, permanent missions, Special Procedure representatives and members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The objective of this new call for action is to make specific recommendations on how child rights may be adequately addressed and profiled in the HRC, how child rights NGOs can contribute to the efficiency of the Universal Periodic Review, how structures and spaces can be created to include young people’s participation and how to improve collaboration between the HRC, the Committee on the Rights of the Child and Special Procedures.
The Subgroup is calling on the Human Rights Council to:
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ensure a rights of the child perspective is adopted throughout the work of the Council, and in particular in the Special Procedures and Universal Periodic Review;
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ensure a process for meaningful child participation in the work of the Council.
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=11536
For more information, contact:
Simone Ek, Convenor
Subgroup for the Human Rights Council
Save the Children Sweden
Email: simone.ek@rb.se
Website: http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/NGOCRC/subgroup-CHR.asp
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Call for contributions: Report of the Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jilani, is currently finalising her report to the Human Rights Council for March 2007. The report will focus on the situation of those who defend economic, social and cultural rights. A section will also be devoted to the specific challenges faced by women human rights defenders and those who defend lesbian, gay, bissexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights.
The Special Representative is thinking of devoting some paragraphs to issues faced by NGOs, as human rights defenders, concerning their participation in the newly formed Human Rights Council.
For example, the Special Representative experienced substantial difficulties in the logistical preparation for the September session as she did not have firm dates for her speaking slot until two weeks in advance. Flights, hotel bookings, meetings and at one stage even a scheduled country mission, was put in question while she waited for the dates for her interactive dialogue (which was, subsequently changed).
NGOs' ability to plan and participate in the Council is probably an even bigger challenge, and the Special Representative is keen to hear from NGOs on this point. Before responding, it may be helpful to be mindful of defenders' rights under Articles 1 and 5 of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which say:
"Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Article 1), and "For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (a) to meet or assemble peacefully, (b) to form, join and participate in NGOs, associations or groups; (c) to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations" (Article 5).
Responses should be sent by Friday, 1st December. Please bear in mind that due to the word limits of the report and the fact that the substantial part is already written, reference to NGO participation at the HRC is likely to be only a few paragraphs.
Any particular comments concerning the other focus issues mentioned above are also welcome.
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=11529
For more information, contact:
Melinda Ching Simon, Human Rights Officer
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais Wilson Rm 3-011, CH - 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: +41(0) 22 917 9140; Fax: +41(0) 22 917 9006
Email: mchingsimon@ohchr.org
Website: http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/defenders/index.htm
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This update has been produced by CRIN, in collaboration with the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Subgroup for the Human Rights Council. To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.
Further information about the Human Rights Council is available on the CRIN website at: www.crin.org/chr. To submit information, contact Isabelle Guitard on iguitard@crin.org. CRIN, c/o Save the Children, 1, St John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK.
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