HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TO RESUME SIXTH SESSION ON 10 DECEMBER

The Human Rights Council will hold the second part of its sixth session from 10 to 14 December at the Palais des Nations to discuss issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. The Council will also consider human rights situations that require its attention, including follow-up to its resolutions on the human rights situations in Darfur and in Myanmar.

On Monday morning, the Council will commemorate Human Rights Day (10 December), and mark the kick-off of a yearlong United Nations campaign leading up to the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 2008. The commemoration will begin with a video message from the Secretary-General, to be followed by an address from the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, and statements by Member States.

At the resumed session, the Council is expected to hear presentations of the report of the Open-ended Working Group on an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (A/HRC/6/8). It will also consider the issue of the rectification of the legal status of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with the aim of placing it on a par with all other treaty monitoring bodies. In that connection it will have before it the report of the Committee (A/HRC/6/20) and of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/6/21), and will hold an interactive debate on this topic.

Other reports before the Council for consideration at this session are: the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, Rudolf Stavenhagen (A/HRC/6/15 and Add.1-3); the report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin (A/HRC/6/17 and Add.1-4); the final report by the group of experts charged with ensuring follow-up and implementation of United Nations resolutions and recommendations on Darfur (A/HRC/6/19); and the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro (A/HRC/6/14).

Also during the resumed sixth session, the Council will continue with the review, rationalization and improvement of mandates as commenced during the first part of the sixth session. The following mandates are scheduled to be reviewed during the resumed sixth session: Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living; Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons; Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Liberia; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Sudan; and Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism.

Composition of the Human Rights Council

The composition of the Council at the sixth session is the following. The term of membership of each State expires in the year indicated in brackets: Angola (2010); Azerbaijan (2009); Bangladesh (2009); Bolivia (2010); Bosnia and Herzegovina (2010); Brazil (2008); Cameroon (2009); Canada (2009); China (2009); Cuba (2009); Djibouti (2009); Egypt (2010); France (2008); Gabon (2008); Germany (2009); Ghana (2008); Guatemala (2008); India (2010); Indonesia (2010); Italy (2010); Japan (2008); Jordan (2009); Madagascar (2010); Malaysia (2009); Mali (2008); Mauritius (2009); Mexico (2009); Netherlands (2010); Nicaragua (2010); Nigeria (2009); Pakistan (2008); Peru (2008); Philippines (2010); Qatar (2010); Republic of Korea (2008); Romania (2008); Russian Federation (2009); Saudi Arabia (2009); Senegal (2009); Slovenia (2010); South Africa (2010); Sri Lanka (2008); Switzerland (2009); Ukraine (2008); United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2008); Uruguay (2009); Zambia (2008).

The composition of the Bureau of the Council is as follows: President of the Council: Doru Costea (Romania); Vice-Presidents: Mohamed-Siad Doualeh (Djibouti), Boudewijn Van Eenennaam (Netherlands), and Dayan Jayatilleka (Sri Lanka); and Vice-President and Rapporteur: Alejandro Artucio (Uruguay).

For use of the information media; not an official record

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