HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS NINTH SESSION IN GENEVA FROM 6 to 10 AUGUST 2012

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will hold its ninth session from 6 to 10 August in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilisations Chamber (Room XX), of the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

During the session, the Committee, a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council, will work on requests addressed to it by the Council, in particular, on the issues of traditional values of humankind, terrorist hostage-taking, international solidarity and the right to food of the urban poor and of rural women. The Committee will follow up on reports submitted to the last Human Rights Council session on the promotion of the right of peoples to peace and on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights.

On Monday, 6 August, the Advisory Committee will publicly open its ninth session at 11 a.m. with the adoption of its agenda and programme of work, followed by a discussion on the traditional values of humankind, which will continue in the afternoon meeting. On Tuesday, 7 August, the Committee will commence a dialogue on human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking, followed by a discussion on the topic of human rights and international solidarity. On Wednesday, 8 August, the right to food of the urban poor, and the right to food of rural women, will be the topics on the agenda.

On Thursday, 9 August the Committee will consider follow-up to its reports submitted to the Human Rights Council on the promotion of the right of peoples to peace and on exploring ways and means of enhancing international cooperation in the field of human rights, and will discuss its annual programme of work and future priorities. In the afternoon, the Committee will hold a private meeting. On Friday, 10 August, the Committee is scheduled to adopt its session report, including recommendations to the Human Rights Council, and conclude its ninth session.

Documentation relating to the ninth session, including the agenda and draft programme of work, can be found on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.

Background

The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts who support the work of the Human Rights Council. It was established in 2008, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, to provide studies and research-based advice, as requested by the Council, and meets twice annually, usually for a period of five days during the last week of January and the first week of August. The Committee’s work is implementation-oriented and follows thematic issues linked to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. It interacts with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society bodies. The Committee’s scope is limited; it is not able to adopt resolutions or decisions. However it may suggest to the Council ways to enhance its procedural efficiency or conduct further research and studies.


Membership

The membership of the Advisory Committee conforms to the following geographical distribution guidelines set out in its establishing resolution: five members each from African and Asian States; three each from Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States; and two members from Eastern European States.

Members serve for a period of three years and are eligible for re-election once. In accordance with resolution 5/1, the staggering of terms of membership of the Advisory Committee members was determined by drawing lots immediately after the election. Hence, in the first term, one-third of the experts will serve for one year and another third for two years.

Following is the list of members of the Advisory Committee and expiration dates for their respective terms of office: Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann (Nicaragua – 2012); Mr. José Antonio Bengoa Cabello (Chile - 2013); Mr. Laurence Boisson de Chazournes (France – 2014); Mr. Shiqiu Chen (China - 2012); Ms. Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea - 2013); Mr. Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Germany - 2013); Mr. Latif Hüseynov (Azerbaijan - 2014); Mr. Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora (Uganda – 2013); Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (Russian Federation - 2013); Mr. Obiora Chinedu Okafor (Nigeria – 2014); Ms. Coco Quisumbing (Philippines - 2014); Ms. Anantonia Reyes Prado (Guatemala – 2013); Mr. Shigeki Sakamoto (Japan - 2013); Mr. Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius - 2014); Mr. Ahmer Bilal Soofi (Pakistan – 2014); Ms. Halima Embarek Warzazi (Morocco - 2012); Mr. Jean Ziegler (Switzerland - 2012); and Ms. Mona Zulficar (Egypt - 2013).


Programme of Work

Monday, 6 August

10 a.m. Closed Meeting

11 a.m. Opening of Session, Adoption of Agenda, Organizational and other Matters.
Requests to the Advisory Committee: Traditional values of humankind (A/HRC/AC/9/2).

3 p.m. Traditional values of humankind (cont’d).

Tuesday, 7 August

10 a.m. Human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking (A/HRC/AC/9/CRP.1).

3 p.m. Human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking (cont’d).
Human rights and international solidarity (A/HRC/AC/9/4).

Wednesday, 8 August

10 a.m. Right to food (urban poor A/HRC/AC/9/3)
Right to food (rural women A/HRC/AC/9/5)

3 p.m. Right to food (rural women) (cont’d).

5 p.m. Private Meeting


Thursday, 9 August

10 a.m. Follow-up to reports of the Committee submitted to the Human Rights Council.
- Promotion of the right of peoples to peace
- Enhancement of international cooperation

Implementation of sections III and IV of Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and of section III of Human Rights Council resolution 16/21.
- Agenda and annual programme of work, including new priorities.

Deadline for submission of draft recommendations: 12 noon.

3 p.m. Private Meeting

Friday, 10 August

10 a.m. Adoption of the report of the Advisory Committee on its ninth session, including recommendations to the Human Rights Council.

3 p.m. Adoption of the report of the Advisory Committee on its ninth session, including recommendations to the Human Rights Council (cont’d).


For use of the information media; not an official record

AC12/008E