Summary: This is the second part of the sixth session of the Human Rights Council. The first part took place in September 2007. See below for further information.
The Secretariat strongly encourages NGOs to consult the relevant internet and extranet pages on a regular basis, as they will be regularly updated with information relating to the organisation of the resumed sixth session of the Human Rights Council.
Suggested guidelines for NGO oral interventions at the second part of the Session
The suggested guidelines, issued by the OHCHR, should be applied on an interim basis; they are being suggested to assist NGOs in planning and managing their oral interventions during the sixth session of the Human Rights Council.
The guidelines are also being suggested to facilitate the participation of NGOs not represented in Switzerland.
Opening of the List of Speakers:
The List of Speakers will be opened on Monday 10 December, at 14.30 p.m. for inscriptions in all meeting scheduled from 10 until 14 December. NGOs are encouraged to arrive earlier and proceed to the List of Speakers desk inside the plenary room.
In order to facilitate participation of NGOs not represented in Switzerland, pre-inscriptions by fax will be allowed for NGOs not based/represented in Switzerland, as soon as the List of Speakers is opened. The inscription form can be downloaded at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/6session/speakers.htm and faxed to + 41 22 917 0339.
In order to accommodate a larger number of NGOs, NGOs are strongly encouraged, when inscribing, to indicate their priorities, which will assist the Secretariat when drawing the lists.
Interactive Dialogues with Special Procedure mandate-holders:
• NGOs’ individual interventions/questions in interactive dialogues will be up to 3 minutes each.
• Interventions should consist of brief and to-the-point questions and/or comments related to the reports being considered.
• A maximum of 3 minutes may be used for an individual NGO intervention. NGOs coordination is strongly encouraged to maximise the use of total time available to NGOs (which should be calculated on the basis of three to four interventions of three minutes each per dialogue).
• Modalities for Interactive Dialogues on assessments of mandates should be communicated by the President at the beginning of the session.
Debates:
• NGOs’ individual statements will be up to 3 minutes.
• NGOs’s joint interventions with a large number of co-sponsors will be placed on top of the list; no additional time will be allocated.
• NGOs coordination is encouraged to maximise the use of total time available for debates.
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).
NGOs may submit their written statements to the Council Secretariat electronically to hrcngo@ohchr.org . The deadline for the submission of written statements is Friday, 30 November 2007. The Secretariat will not be able to ensure the timely circulation of written statements late in submission. Please also note that NGO written statements should be submitted under the relevant agenda items to be discussed at the upcoming resumed 6th session of HRC (as for draft PoW).
Further information about NGO submissions
Access to relevant information on the Web
Relevant and updated information on the resumed 6th session of the HRC will be regularly posted on the HRC Extranet. The extranet page may be accessed through this link: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/form.htm
Username: hrc extranet
Password: 1session
Finally, a live Webcast service will be available under the Council’s webpage, covering the plenary session online, and will be accessible through this link:
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/
NGO liaison Office:
• Ms. Laura Dolci-Kanaan, e-mail: ldolci-kanaan@ohchr.org, Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9656 (until 07 December)
• Ms. Noemi Dalmonte (intern), e-mail: erbintern@ohchr.org, Tel: +41 (0)22 917 9754 (until 07 December)
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/HRC6_part2_draft_programme.doc