HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL SUSPENDS SIXTH SESSION UNTIL 10 DECEMBER

The Human Rights Council this afternoon suspended its sixth session until 10 December after having, among other things, extended the mandates of the Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on human rights of indigenous people and the Independent Expert on human rights in Burundi. The Council also created the post of a Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery to replace the Working Group on contemporary forms of slavery, and set up the Forum on Minority Issues to replace the Working Group on minorities.

Continuing with its institution-building process, the Council adopted the general guidelines for the preparation of information under the Universal Periodic Review, technical and objective requirements for eligible candidates for mandate holders, and the technical and objective requirements for the submission of candidatures for the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council. It also adopted aresolution on establishing a Universal Periodic Review Voluntary Trust Fund and a Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance.

The Council selected the countries to be reviewed in the Universal Periodic Review, providing a calendar of work for the Council for the next four years, from 2008 to 2011. The countries selected to undergo the Universal Periodic Review process at the first session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group in 2008 were Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Philippines, Algeria, Poland, Netherlands, South Africa, Czech Republic, and Argentina.

In other action, the Council adopted two resolutions relating to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a resolution preserving the Social Forum, and Presidential Statements on the situation of human rights in Haiti and the twentieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

There were also texts on human rights and international solidarity, on the situation of human rights in Haiti, on promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity, on human rights and unilateral coercive measures, on equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and on prevention of genocide.

During the session, the Council heard the presentation of reports on human rights and unilateral coercive measures, freedom of religion or belief, and racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It also discussed the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories in the context of follow-up to Council resolutions S-1/1 and S-3/1; and human rights situations that required its attention.

Addressing the Council early in the session, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour urged the Human Rights Council to take all necessary steps to ensure that activities related to the Universal Periodic Review began at the earliest date because the credibility of the United Nations human rights system hinged upon satisfactory implementation of the Review. Ms. Arbour said the review of mandates would be an important opportunity to identify and close protection gaps in the Special Procedures system, and she encouraged the Council to seize this opportunity. She urged States to increase their cooperation and to extend invitations to mandate holders.

In the context of its agenda item on the review, reinvigoration and improvement of mandates, the Council considered the mandates of the Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the Independent Expert appointed by the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Haiti, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Burundi, and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people.

The Council also heard presentations of the report of the Secretary-General on human rights and unilateral coercive measures, and of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the scope and content of the relevant human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights instruments. It further discussed the reports of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In general debates, the Council discussed a wide range of issues, including on its agenda items on mainstreaming the gender perspective in the work of the Human Rights Council, a debate aimed at building a platform for the long-term process of integration of the issue in the Council’s work programme; and human rights situations that required its attention, hearing the Group of Experts on Darfur present an interim report in this regard.

It also proceeded with consideration of outstanding issues under its agenda item on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance: follow-up to and implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, taking up, among others, issues concerning follow up to the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the defamation of religion; follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action; and technical cooperation and capacity building.

The first part of the sixth regular session of the Council was held from 10 to 28 September and the second part will be held from 10 to 14 December 2007. A Special Session of the Council to consider the situation of human rights in Myanmar will be held on Tuesday, 2 October.

Resolutions and Decisions Adopted by the Council

As a transitional measure, the Council decides to request the members of the former Working Group on Communications to act as members of the Working Group on Communications of the new Complaint Procedure.

In a resolution on Follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Council adopts the general guidelines for the preparation of information under the Universal Periodic Review, technical and objective requirements for eligible candidates for mandate holders, and the technical and objective requirements for the submission of candidatures for the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council.

In a resolution on Protection of cultural rights and property in situations of armed conflict, the Council strongly condemns any destruction of cultural property in violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts.

In a resolution on the Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food for a period of three years.

In a resolution on Human rights and international solidarity, the Council urges the international community to consider urgently concrete measures to promote and consolidate international assistance to developing countries in their endeavours for development and for the promotion of conditions that make possible the full realization of all human rights.

In a Presidential Statement on the Situation of human rights in Haiti, adopted by consensus, the Council welcomes the return to the rule of constitutional law in Haiti.

In a resolution on Arbitrary detention, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for a further period of three years.

In a resolution on Consultative services and technical assistance for Burundi, the Council urges the international community to provide the Government of Burundi with means to be allow it to better consolidate human rights, peace and security on its national territory; and decides to prorogue for one year the mandate of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Burundi.

In a resolution on Promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for cultural diversity, the Council reaffirms that the establishment of a thematic procedure in the field of cultural rights should not develop a new monitoring mechanism, and that the appointment of an independent expert in the field of cultural rights could assist the implementation of the resolution.

In a resolution on Human rights and unilateral coercive measures the Council urges all States to stop adopting or implementing unilateral coercive measures not in accordance with international law, international humanitarian law, the Charter of the United Nations and the norms and principles governing peaceful relations among States.

In a resolution on Human rights and equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation, the Council, taking note of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the scope and content of relevant human rights obligations related to equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights instruments, calls upon all States to give due attention to the report.

In a Presidential Statement on The twentieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Council urges all States parties to the Convention to comply strictly with their obligations under the Convention, and urges all States that have not yet done so to become parties to the Convention.

In a resolution on Development of public information activities in the field of human rights, including the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights, the Council calls on the High Commissioner to mainstream education and public information activities in the existing initiatives, and requests the Secretary-General to mobilize the UN Country Teams in order to promote education, training and public information activities in the field of Human Rights.

In a resolution on the United Nations declaration on human rights education and training, the Council requests the “Human Rights Council Advisory Committee” to prepare a draft declaration on human rights education and training.

In a resolution on Protection of cultural heritage as an important component for the promotion and protection of cultural rights, the Council calls upon States to reinvigorate their efforts in taking appropriate measures to prevent, avoid, stop and suppress acts of intentional destruction of cultural heritage, wherever such heritage is located, both in peacetime and in the event of armed conflict.

In a resolution on Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples: Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous People, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for a period of three years to examine ways and means of overcoming existing obstacles to the full and effective protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous People.

In a resolution on the Social Forum, the Council decides to preserve the Social Forum as a unique space for interactive dialogue between the United Nations human rights machinery and various stakeholders, including grass-roots organizations.

In a resolution on Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, the Council decides to appoint, for a three-year period, a Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and its consequences, to replace the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery.

In a resolution on Forum on Minority Issues, the Council decides to establish a Forum on Minority Issues to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.

In a resolution on Informal meeting to discuss the most appropriate mechanisms to continue the work of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations, the Council decides to request the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights to convene an informal meeting in Geneva for a day and a half open to the participation of states, indigenous peoples and other stakeholders to exchange views on the most appropriate mechanisms to continue the work of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

In a resolution on establishment of funds for the universal periodic review mechanism of the Human Rights Council, the Council decides to establish a universal periodic review Voluntary Trust Fund to facilitate the participation of developing countries, particularly least developing countries, in the universal periodic review mechanism.

In a resolution on the Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolutions S-1/1 and S-3/1, the Council calls for the implementation of its resolutions S-1/1 and S-3/1, including the dispatching of the urgent fact-finding missions.

In a resolution on Religious and cultural rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, the Council calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to respect the religious and cultural rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and to allow Palestinian worshippers unfettered access to their religious sites.

In a resolution on Regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, the Council requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene in 2008 a workshop for an exchange of views on good practices, added value and challenges for such regional arrangements.

In a decision on Report of the Preparatory Committee, the Council, recalling its resolution 3/2 of 8 December 2006, invites the Preparatory Committee [for the Durban Review Conference] to submit its reports to the General Assembly.

In a resolution on the Elaboration of international complementary standards to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Council, decides to convene the inaugural session of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Human Rights Council on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards in the first quarter of 2008 to commence its mandate.

In a resolution entitled From rhetoric to reality: a global call for concrete action against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Council decides to realign the work of the Anti-Discrimination unit in the OHCHR consistent with its mandate and to change its name into “The Anti-Racial Discrimination Unit” and that its operational activities shall focus exclusively on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

In a resolution on Preparations for the Durban Review Conference, the Council requests the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference to present her report to the UN General assembly during its 62nd session, covering progress made in preparation to the 2009 Conference.

In a resolution on World programme for human rights education, the Council decides to extend for two more years (2008-2009) the first phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education in order to allow all relevant actors to accomplish the implementation of the Plan of Action.

In a resolution on Regional cooperation for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Asia-Pacific Region, the Council requests the High Commissioner to submit to the Council a report containing the conclusion of the Fourteenth Annual Workshop on Regional Cooperation for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific Region.

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