First session of the Human Rights Council: 19-30 June 2006
This page offers information on the first HRC session for child rights NGOs. It provides daily news updates, links to official documentation, information on NGO participation and useful contacts.
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First session report - CRINMAILs - Sources of information - Documentation - NGO participation - Subgroup on the HRC - Useful contacts
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First session report
This first session focused primarily on procedural issues, and was attended by delegates from member and non-member States of the Human Rights Council, as well as a substantial number of representatives from non-governmental organisations, representatives of national human rights institutions and members of the press. During its first session, the Council adopted eight Resolutions, three Decisions and two Statements by the President.
Inauguration
The inaugural ceremony took place on Monday 19th June with statements from Jan Eliasson, President of the UN General Assembly, Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, Louise Arbour, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, President of the Council.
In his speech Kofi Annan reminded Council members of their pledges to uphold human rights at home and abroad: "Their peoples – and the peoples of the world – will be watching to see whether those standards are indeed upheld", he said. He then praised the achievements of the Commission on Human Rights but highlighted the need for a "clean break from the past" and a change of culture: "In place of the culture of confrontation and distrust, which pervaded the Commission in its final years, we must see a culture of cooperation and commitment, inspired by mature leadership".
High-Level Segment
Most of the first week of the session consisted of a High-Level Segment (19-22 June), where dignitaries from member and non-member States - i.e. government representatives of ministerial or higher rank or Vice-Ministers - addressed the Council. Their statements are all available on the HRC website.
On the initiative of HRC President Designate Ambassador de Alba (Mexico), 3-5 NGO representatives were given the possibility to address Council members during the HLS. After an NGO consultation process involving 60 NGOs and Ambassador de Alba, a list of speakers was finalised. They delivered their statements on Thursday 22nd June.
General segment
Most of the discussions that took place among Council members, observer States, NGOs, National Human Rights Institutions, and representatives from special procedures and treaty bodies, focused on the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 (which established the HRC). This included consideration of reports from the working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and discussions on procedural matters as set out in the GA Resolution.
Other topics of discussions included pressing human rights issues (such as the situation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine; support for the Abuja Agreement (Darfur); avoiding incitement to hatred and violence for reasons of religion or race; the human rights of migrants; and the role of human rights defenders in promoting and protecting human rights); and dialogue and cooperation on human rights. The Council adopted a Resolution on incitement to racial and religious hatred and the promotion of tolerance and the President of the Council, Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, issued a Statement on hostage-taking.
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Procedural issues
The Council also adopted a Resolution on the universal periodic review mechanism, which would periodically review the situation of human rights in all countries (starting with Council members), and a Decision on the extension of all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the Commission on Human Rights. Finally, the Council adopted a Decision on a framework for a programme of work for the first year, and also debated the issue of dialogue and cooperation on human rights, which included human rights education and learning, advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building.
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New legal instruments
After its deliberations, the Council decided to adopt a Resolution on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and a Resolution on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Both texts were forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption at its next session. The Council also issued a Statement to welcome the entry into force on 22 June 2006 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, which was adopted on 18 December 2002 by the General Assembly in its Resolution 57/199.
With regards to the situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, the Council adopted a Resolution in which it decided to undertake substantive consideration of the human rights violations and implications of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories at its next session and to incorporate this issue in its following sessions.
Special session
Following a request signed by 21 Member States of the 47 Member States of the Council, the Council announced that it would hold a Special Session on the situation on human rights in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories on Wednesday 5th July, 3-6pm, in the Salle des Assemblées, at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva.
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CRINMAILs
- 30 June 2006 - Continued and Report of the session
- 29 June 2006 - Programme of work for future HRC sessions - Dialogue and cooperation on human rights (human rights education and learning, advisory services, technical assistance and capacity-building) - Conclusions and recommendations, including interim measures on mechanisms and mandates.
- 28 June 2006 - Universal Periodic Review - Review of mandates and mechanisms
- 27 June 2006 - Report of Intergovernmental Working Groups (on Optional Protocol to International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, on draft Convention on Disappearances, and on draft Indigenous Declaration)
- 26 June 2006 - pressing human rights issues - Report of Intergovernmental Working Groups (Durban and Right to Development)
- 22 June 2006 - first week of the Council
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Sources of information
CRIN will be reporting from the Human Rights Council - sign up to the special HRC CRINMAIL and get our daily updates on our HRC news page.
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Press releases are issued by the HRC on a daily basis and are available on the OHCHR website. In addition, relevant documents are posted on the Human Rights Council extranet (sign up).
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).
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Documentation
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NGO participation
Pursuant to Resolution 60/251, the participation of NGOs in the Human Rights Council is based on the arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.
Accreditations
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC wishing to accredit representatives to the first session of the Human Rights Council are therefore invited to send their requests to the Secretariat of the Council, for the attention of Ms. Kate Hardie: tel: + 41 (0) 22 917 1525; fax: + 41 (09 22 917 0494.
NGO written statements
As under the arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will be able to submit written statements relevant to the work of the Human Rights Council (in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31).
While the provisional agenda for the first session of the HRC is yet to be identified, NGOs can submit their written statements to the Council secretariat, which in consultation with the concerned NGO will determine in due course under which agenda item the NGO statement is being submitted.
NGO written statements should be sent electronically to hrcngo@ohchr.org. The deadline for the submission of written statements is 16 June 2006. (Guidelines for the submission of NGO written statements).
NGO parallel events
As under the arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, NGOs can organise parallel events of relevance to the work of the Human Rights Council. In line with past practices, no activities can be organised in parallel to the High-level Segment. (Room booking form).
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Subgroup on the HRC
The Subgroup 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 Subgroup’s aim so far has been to ensure that the Commission on Human Rights 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 Commission'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 Subgroup has been active during the negotiations on the creation of the Human Rights Council and during consultations on the first session of the Council.
It produced a call for action in May 2006, calling on the Human Rights Council to act on four specific child rights issues: violence against children - sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography - children affected by armed conflict and displacement - children in conflict with the law.
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Useful contacts
For more information on the Human Rights Council, contact:
The Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, OHCHR – UNOG,
8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 917 9000; Fax: +41 22 917 9016
Website: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr
For more information on NGO participation, contact:
Ms Laura Dolci-Kanaan
OHCHR’s NGO Liaison Officer
Email: ldolci-kanaan@ohchr.org
Tel: +41 22 917 9656
For more information about the Subgroup for the Human Rights Council, contact:
Simone Ek, Convenor
Save the Children Sweden
Email: simone.ek@rb.se
Visit: http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/NGOCRC/subgroup-CHR.asp
Any other enquiries:
Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)
c/o Save the Children, 1 St. John's Lane, London EC1M 4AR, UK
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7012 6867; Fax: + 44 (0)20 7012 6963
Email: info@crin.org
Website: http://www.crin.org/HRC