Guidelines on NGO participation to the High-Level Segment of the 1st session of the Human Rights Council

Submitted by crinadmin on

The opportunity for a select number of NGOs to address the HRC during its first inaugural week in proximity to the High Level Segment will not be offered again if we do not make good use of it. NGOs must be very careful not to squander it.  It is difficult to reflect the richness, multiplicity and diversity of NGO voices through a reduced number of speaking slots.  However, the speakers should be supported by the widest possible range of NGOs and should benefit from the full respectability and credibility of the global NGO community and social movements.

The following elements could be taken into consideration in order to identify potential speakers:

In view of the high-level nature of speeches during the first week of the first HRC session, we need NGO voices that 

  • are recognised as being authoritative and command respect
  • reflect a geographical and gender balance as well as a broad span of the human rights addressed.
  • gain legitimacy from a well recognised engagement at the grassroots level.

In view of the “institution-building” character of this first meeting, these NGO voices need to respect the demonstrated willingness of governments to launch the HRC setting a tone that is both dignified and reflects a commitment to promote human rights. We thus need speakers who can

  • offer an informed yet visionary perspective on what the Council could bring to the promotion and protection of human rights
  • highlight the concerns of actual and potential victims of human rights violations in a constructive manner for the institution-building and the future work of the Council
  • rise above specific country situations or particular issues and focus on a vision for the Council.

The above elements could help identify persons with a solid NGO activist background in promotion and protection of human rights. The persons would be proposed by NGOs as distinguished voices from civil society, in which the widest possible number of constituencies could recognise themselves.

 

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