24 August 2009 - Child Rights at the Human Rights Council 53
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Children Have Rights Too!
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Human Rights Council Session 12 [event]
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The 12th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) will be held from 14 September until 2 October 2009 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, in Room XVII.
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Menu: CRINMAILs - NGO participation - Special Procedures - Sources of information - Subgroup on the HRC - Universal Periodic Review - Useful contacts
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CRINMAILs
Child Rights at the Human Rights Council 52
Child Rights at the Human Rights Council 51
Child Rights at the Human Rights Council 50
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NGO participation
Information note for NGOs
Draft programme of work and other documents
The latest version of the draft programme of work of the session has been posted on the HRC extranet (instructions for accessing the HRC extranet are included below). The draft programme of work is expected to be discussed at the organisational meeting of the Human Rights Council to be held on 28th August 2009. It has been prepared on the basis of the annual programme of work, which is available on the HRC Extranet.
Documents for the Human Rights Councilās 12th Session, including the annotated agenda, will be made available on the OHCHR Council webpage shortly. The Secretariat strongly encourages NGOs to consult the HRC Extranet, as well as the OHCHR Council website on a regular basis, as they are regularly updated as and when documentation becomes available.
The HRC extranet is accessible from the OHCHR Council web page at the following link: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/ Click on the HRC Extranet link on the left hand column of the webpage. Links HRC Extranet When prompted enter Password: hrc extranet Username: 1 session.
NGO written statements:
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC may submit written statements relevant to the work of the Human Rights Council (in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31). The HRC Secretariat wishes to draw the attention of NGOs to ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, which authorises written statements of: a) 2,000 words for NGOs in general consultative status; and b) 1,500 words for NGOs in special consultative status and on the roster.
NGO written statements are to be submitted in accordance with the guidelines for the submission of NGO written statements: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/guidelines.htm NGOs may submit their written statements to the Council Secretariat electronically to hrcngo@ohchr.org. Please kindly note that the deadline for the submission of written statements is Friday, 28 August 2009.
The Secretariat will not be able to ensure the timely processing and circulation of written statements late in submission.
Read the guidelines for written statements
Accreditation:
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC wishing to accredit representatives to the 12th session of the Human Rights Council are invited to fax their letter of accreditation request/s to the Secretariat of the Council as of 31 August 2009 to the attention of: Ms. Francoise Kenfack, Accreditation Officer who can be reached at: Phone: +41 22 917 96 41 Fax: +41 22 917 90 08 E-mail: fkenfack@ohchr.org
Please note that the Accreditation Officer will be located at Pregny Gate of the Palais des Nations during the duration of the session.
The letter requesting accreditation should: Be submitted on the official letterhead of the organisation;
ā¢ Clearly state the session of the Council the organisation wishes to attend, e.g. ā[Name of organisation], wishes to send the following members to attend the [number of session] session of the Human Rights Council ([insert dates of session]) ...ā;
ā¢Be signed by the President and/or the Main Representative of the organisation in Geneva; ā¢Indicate the name/s (first name and family name) of the person/s who will represent the organisation at the HRC session: o Names of persons must appear exactly as they appear in the ID document, o Family name(s) have to be capitalised.
ā¢Ensure that the name(s) of those members already in possession of a valid identity badge issued by UNOG Security and Safety Section, and who plan to attend the 12th session of HRC, is/are also included in the accreditation letter, with an indication that the person(s) hold(s) an annual badge.
Please note that annual or temporary representatives of NGOs in possession of an identity badge issued by UNOG Security and Safety Section and valid for the duration of the session, will have unrestricted access to the conference rooms.
Any other participants without a UNOG identity badge should apply in person to the security entrance at Pregny Gate, 8 ā 14 Avenue de la Paix; on presentation of an identity document and a copy of the letter of accreditation, a photo-badge valid for the duration of the Council session will be issued.
Assistance for requesting travel visas Upon request, the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) NGO Liaison Office (not the HRC Secretariat) may issue relevant 'attestation of accreditation' for visa application purposes. In order to obtain such an attestation, NGOs enjoying consultative status with ECOSOC should explicitly indicate their need in the accreditation request faxed to the HRC Secretariat.
The latter will accordingly transmit the request to the UNOG Liaison Office which will issue the attestation and transmit it to the concerned NGO headquarters. Kindly note that request for āattestation of accreditationā must be made, at least, 14 days before the beginning of the 12th session of the Human Rights Session. The UNOG Liaison Office may be contacted at the following address: United Nations Office at Geneva NGO Liaison Office Office of the Director-General Room 153 Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva 10 Tel: + 41 (0)22 917 21 27 Fax: +41 (0)22 917 05 83 Email: ungeneva.ngoliaison@unog.ch
Access to the public gallery: A limited number of seats in the Public Gallery, above the conference room, are available for persons wishing to observe the proceedings of the HRC without being accredited as participants (i.e. students, and academics).
Individuals or groups who wish to attend are required to fax a letter (24 hours before the desired date) to the HCR Secretariat, (+41 (0) 22 917 90 11 prior to the session, and at +41 (0) 22 917 04 94 during the session), containing the following information: (a) Date(s) of the visit; (b) Purpose of the visit; and (c) Full name(s) of those wishing to attend. Access to the public gallery will be granted depending on the availability of seating and other circumstances.
NGO parallel events:
As under the arrangements and practices observed by the HRC in its former sessions, NGOs duly accredited to the 12th session of the HRC will be able to organize parallel events of relevance to the work of the Human Rights Council, taking into account availability of rooms. Room booking requests will be received as of 31 August 2009 by the Secretariat, and will be processed on a first come first serve basis, subject to availability of rooms.
All requests should be sent by fax to: Fax: + 41 (0) 22 917 90 11 Tel: + 41 (0) 22 917 96 41 NOTE: Kindly also be advised that NGOs wishing to co-sponsor an NGO parallel event should fill the relevant āCo-sponsorship Formā which is also attached to the email. The Secretariat will rely only on the information contained in the co-sponsorship forms for the preparation of the relevant Bulletin of Informal Meetings annexed to the Order of the Day.
The NGO in charge of organizing the parallel event may invite guests not accredited to the HRC session to be present at their meeting. The concerned NGO is requested to provide the HRC Secretariat, with a complete list of its guests at least 48 hours prior to the day of the meeting.
Accordingly, "Parallel Event" photo-badges will be issued on the day of the scheduled event, at the "Pregny Gate" security entrance, upon presentation of a valid identification paper. Please be advised that the Secretariat does not provide interpretation for NGOs' parallel events. NGOs may bring their own interpreters, if they so wish, and inform the HRC Secretariat accordingly ahead of time.
It is reminded that the use of cameras/videos during parallel events is prohibited. Only journalists and camera-people accredited on a yearly basis with UNOG are allowed to use camera and video equipment.
A live Webcast service will be available under the Councilās webpage, covering the plenary session online, and will be accessible through this link: http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/ NGO Liaison Office:
During the upcoming 12th session of the Human Rights Council and the lead-up to it, OHCHR's NGO Liaison Officer, Mr. Tsatsu Dawson, will be in charge of facilitating the participation of NGO representatives in the work of the Council. Kindly note the following contact details Mr. Tsatsu Dawson, e-mail: tdawson@ohchr.org Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9656 (until ā¢ 11 September) Ms Marie-Claire Tchanga (intern), email: csuintern1@ohchr.org, ā¢ civilsocietyunit@ohchr.org, Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9754 (until 11 September) A second updated NGO information note will be issued approximately two weeks before the session.
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Special Procedures
Read the full list of all Special Procedures mandate holders here
Find out more about Special Procedures
Special Procedures: Facts and Figures 2007
Special Procedures Country Visits 2009
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Sources of information
CRIN - sign up to the special HRC CRINMAIL.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Press releases are issued by the HRC on a daily basis during HRC sessions and are available on the OHCHR website. In addition, relevant documents are posted on the Human Rights Council extranet (sign up).
Relevant and updated information on the 5th session of the HRC will be regularly posted on the HRC Extranet. Username: hrc extranet - Password: 1session.
A live Webcast service will be available under the Councilās webpage, covering the plenary session online, and will be accessible through this link.
Civil society news and perspectives are available on the CONGO website (Conference of NGOs in consultative relationship with the UN) and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) - ISHR: Human Rights Council daily updates
UN - FAQs about the Human Rights Council
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Working Group for the HRC
The Working group for the Human Rights Council, of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, brings together NGOs willing to promote the rights of the child at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The WGās aim so far has been to ensure that the Human Rights Council addresses the specific rights and situations of children worldwide in its regular work and sessions on human rights. By advocating for the inclusion of its concerns into the Council's Resolutions, the NGO community has ensured better support and coherence between international politics and local realities affecting the realisation of children's rights.
The WG was active during the negotiations on the creation of the Human Rights Council and during consultations on the first session of the Council.
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Universal Periodic Review (what is this?)
The first session of the Working Group on UPR was held from 7 to 18 April 2008 in Geneva, at Palais des Nations. The fourth session held was being from 2 to 13 February 2009. A special webpage has been launched on the OHCHR website (internet): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx
CRIN has produced a special information page on the UPR: http://www.crin.org/HRC/UPR.asp and has distributed a UPR tookit produced by the Working Group.
We have also produced reports on child rights in the submissions for the first and second session.
Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)
East Studio
2, Pontypool Place, London, SE1 8QF, United Kingdom
+44 20 7401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: http://www.crin.org/HRC
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20632
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Human Rights Council: Summary of child rights mentions in reports (session 11) [publication]
This report is a compilation of extracts of mentions of children's rights in the reports by Special Procedures at the 11th session of the Human Rights Council.
Read the report here
For more information, contact:
Child Rights Information Network
East Studio, 2 Pontypool Place, London, SE1 8QF
Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20637
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Alternative care: Lobby your government [news]
The Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children are set to come before the General Assembly later this year, and advocates are calling on governments to vote for their adoption.
The NGO Working Group on Children without Parental Care has prepared a lobbying factsheet which can be accessed at http://www.iss-ssi.org/2009/assets/files/guidelines/Lobbying%20fact%20sheet(1).pdf.
Members of the Group are encouraging child rights activists to distribute this lobbying factsheet within their regional and national networks in an effort to ensure that Governments are made aware of how important the adoption of the Guidelines at the UNGA would be.
The latest version of Guidelines is now available in all the six UN languages at http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/11/L.13
For further information, contact the co-covenors of the NGO working group on children without parental care leading the initiative:
Alan Kikuchi-White, Geneva Representative, SOS-Kinderdorf International, Liaison & Advocacy Office, Rue de VarembƩ 1, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, tel. +41.22.734.24.43 Fax +41.22.740.11.45, KikuchiA@sos-kd.org, www.sos-childrensvillages.org
Mia Dambach, Childrenās Rights Specialist, International Social Service, International Reference Centre for the Rights of Children Deprived of their Family, Quai du Seujet 32, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: + 41 22 906 77 04 Fax: + 41 22 906 77 01, E-mail: mia.dambach@iss-ssi.org
Further information
For more information, contact:
International Social Service International Secretariat
32 Quai de Seujet, CH 1201 Geneva
Tel: + 41 22 906 7700; Fax: + 41 22 906 7701
Email: irc-cir@iss-ssi.org / casework@iss-ssi.org / info@iss-ssi.org
Website: www.iss-ssi.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20656
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Survey: Violence Against Children [news]
Please help us in our new project to eliminate all forms of violence against children.
Because we want our work to be as useful to you and your work as possible, please help us in our new project to eliminate violence against children by taking a few brief moments to complete our Violence Against Children Survey.Ā You can complete the survey online, by marking your answers in a reply to this CRINmail, or by downloading and returning the attached Word document to patrick@crin.org.
How much of your work is focused on violence against children?
__Almost All
__Most
__Some
__Very Little
At what levels do you work?
__Local
__National
__International
In which of the following areas, as defined in the Violence Study Recommendations, is your work concentrated?
__Lobbying national and local governments
__Advocating for the prohibition of all forms of violence against children
__Promoting prevention programs
__Raising awareness
__Training and supporting people who work with children
__Providing recovery and social reintegration services
__Ensuring child participation in prevention and reform efforts
__Creating accessible, child-friendly reporting systems and services
__Ensuring accountability for those who perpetrate violence against children
__Addressing the gender dimension and particular situations of girls and boys
__Developing/implementing systematic national data collection and research
__Strengthening international commitment to end violence against children
__Other (Please Specify):___________________________________
Which of these areas would you like to know more about?
__Lobbying national and local governments
__Advocating for the prohibition of all forms of violence against children
__Promoting prevention programs
__Raising awareness
__Training and supporting people who work with children
__Providing recovery and social reintegration services
__Ensuring child participation in prevention and reform efforts
__Creating accessible, child-friendly reporting systems and services
__Ensuring accountability for those who perpetrate violence against children
__Addressing the gender dimension and particular situations of girls and boys
__Developing/implementing systematic national data collection and research
__Strengthening international commitment to end violence against children
__Other (Please Specify):___________________________________
What kinds of information would be most helpful to your work on violence against children?
__International Conventions
__National Laws
__Court Decisions
__Examples of Legal Reform
__Advocacy Strategies/Suggestions
__Model Laws/Prevention Programmes
__News items/Current affairs
__International Organisation Programmes/Initiatives
__State Programmes/Initiatives
__NGO Programmes/Initiatives
__Discussion Forums with other CRIN Members
__Other (Please Specify):___________________________________
How familiar are you with the laws on violence against children in your country?
__Very familiar
__Somewhat familiar
__Not at all familiar
Would you be willing to talk with us about what you know about violence against children in your country?
__Yes
__No
As you may be aware, the UN has recently appointed Marta Santos Pais as Special Representative on Violence Against Children.Ā CRIN is very excited about the prospects for the new SRSG to work towards eliminating all forms of violence against children, and is also eager to know where you believe her work would be most helpful.
Which aspects of violence against children do you believe the SRSG should address?Ā
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For more information, contact:
Child Rights Information Network
East Studio., 2 Pontypool Place, London, SE1 8QF
Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org
Visit: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=20709
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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, Working Group for the Human Rights Council. To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives, visit http://www.crin.org/email.
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