HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS SIXTH SESSION IN GENEVA FROM 17 TO 21 JANUARY 2011

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will hold its sixth session from 17 to 21 January 2011 in Room XX of the Palais des Nations.

The Advisory Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts who serve as a think tank to the Human Rights Council, will further its work in relation to requests addressed to it by the Council, including a study on discrimination in the context of the right to food, as well as a preliminary study on ways to advance the rights of people working in rural areas and a study on best practices regarding missing persons. The Committee will advance its discussions on the right of people to peace and the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights. The integration of a gender perspective into the mandate of the Advisory Committee to further the human rights of women; the integration of the perspectives of people with disabilities to foster their inclusion in the work of the Human Rights Council; the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; and contributions to a draft declaration by the independent expert on human rights and international solidarity on the right of peoples and individuals to international solidarity are also on the agenda of the Committee.

On Monday, 17 January, the Advisory Committee will publicly open its sixth session at 3 p.m. and adopt its agenda. It will then move on to a discussion of a study on the best practices in the matter of missing persons. Following a panel discussion on the issue held at the Human Rights Council’s ninth session in September 2008, the Council adopted decision 9/101, requesting the Advisory Committee to prepare a study on the best practices in the matter of missing persons and to submit it to the Council at its twelfth session, which was held in September 2009 (A/HRC/14/42). The Council considered a progress report by the Committee at its fourteenth session in June 2010 and requested the Committee to finalize the study for submission to the Council at its sixteenth session in March 2011. The Advisory Committee will continue its review of the study on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday afternoon, 18 January, the Advisory Committee will begin its discussions on the issue of discrimination in the context of the right to food. The Committee is to complete a study on this topic, including identification of good practices of anti-discriminatory policies and strategies, and to report on it to the Council at its sixteenth session, taking into account the views and comments of all Member States and all other relevant stakeholders on the policies and strategies set out in the preliminary study (A/HRC/13/32). In addition, the Council requested the Advisory Committee to undertake a preliminary study on ways to advance the right of peoples working in rural areas in the production of food and/or other agricultural products and to report its findings to the Council when it meets in March 2011. A drafting group responsible for both studies will report to the Committee on its progress during this session.

On Wednesday morning, 19 February, the Committee will continue its discussion on the right to food, but it will also take up the right of peoples to peace. At its fourteenth session, the Human Rights Council requested the Advisory Committee, in consultation with Member States, civil society, academia and all relevant stakeholders, to prepare a draft declaration on the right of peoples to peace and to report on the progress of the declaration at the Council’s seventeenth session. A drafting group was appointed to work on the declaration and it will update the Committee on its progress. After the session the drafting group will distribute a questionnaire to Member States, taking into account discussions held with the Committee during the session.

On Wednesday afternoon the Committee will turn its attention to the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights as well as human rights and international solidarity, on the basis of a preliminary report prepared in the inter-sessional period. At its thirteenth session, the Human Rights Council requested that the Advisory Committee explore ways and means to enhance cooperation in the field of human rights, taking into account the views of States, relevant stakeholders and a report issued by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to submit proposals on the topic to the Council at its nineteenth session in March 2012. On the issue of human rights and international solidarity, the Council requested that the Committee contribute to a draft declaration on the right of peoples and individuals to international solidarity by the independent expert on human rights and international solidarity, as well contribute to the further development of guidelines, standards, norms and principles with a view to promoting and protecting this right.

On Thursday afternoon the Advisory Committee will focus on its agenda and annual programme of work, including new priorities. Friday morning, 21 January, it will adopt its session report, including recommendations to the Human Rights Council, and conclude the sixth session.

Background

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, composed of 18 independent experts, was established to provide expertise in the manner and form requested by the Council, focusing mainly on studies and research-based advice.

The scope of the Advisory Committee’s advice is limited to thematic issues pertaining to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. The Committee should be implementation-oriented and is also urged to establish interaction with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society entities. The Committee is not mandated to adopt resolutions or decisions, but may propose to the Council, within the scope of its work as set out by the Council, suggestions for further enhancing its procedural efficiency, as well as further research proposals within the scope of the work set out by the Council.

Documentation and updated information on the Advisory Committee, including the session’s annotated agenda and draft programme of work, are posted on the Advisory Committee’s webpage (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm).


Membership

The 18 members of the Advisory Committee were first elected on 26 March 2008, at the seventh session of the Human Rights Council. The most recent elections were held on 26 March 2010 at the thirteenth session of the Human Rights Council, and on 18 June 2010 it elected a new member to fill the vacancy following the demise of Miguel Martinez. The membership of the Advisory Committee has to conform 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. Ansar Ahmed Burney (Pakistan - 2011); Mr. Shiqiu Chen (China - 2012); Ms. Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea - 2013); Mr. Emmanuel Decaux (France - 2011); Mr. Héctor Felipe Fix Fierro (Mexico - 2011); Mr. Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Germany - 2013); Mr. Latif Hüseynov (Azerbaijan - 2011); Mr. Baba Kura Kaigama (Nigeria - 2011); Mr. Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora (Uganda – 2013); Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (Russian Federation - 2013); Ms. Purificacion V. Quisumbing (Philippines - 2011); Mr. Shigeki Sakamoto (Japan - 2013); Mr. Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius - 2011); Ms. Halima Embarek Warzazi (Morocco - 2012); Mr. Jean Ziegler (Switzerland - 2012); and Ms. Mona Zulficar (Egypt - 2013).


For use of the information media; not an official record

AC11/001E