HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONCLUDES TWENTIETH SESSION

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council, concluded today its twentieth session, held from 19 to 23 February at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

During the session, the Committee continued its discussions on thematic studies requested by the Council, including on the integration of the perspective of persons with disabilities, the contribution of development to the enjoyment of human rights (Human Rights Council resolution 35/21); effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights (Human Rights Council resolution 31/3); the activities of vulture funds and the impact on human rights, and non-repatriation of illicit funds (Human Rights Council resolutions 31/32 and 34/11); regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights (Human Rights Council resolution 32/115); and national policies and human rights in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (Human Rights Council resolution 35/32).

Concerning the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights, the Advisory Committee recommended the Human Rights Council to extend the time schedule and allow the Advisory Committee to submit its final report at the Council’s forty-first session.

With respect to the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin, the Committee requested the drafting group to present a preliminary outline of the study to the Advisory Committee at its twenty-second session.

On the effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights, the Advisory Committee recommended the Human Rights Council to extend the time schedule and allow the Advisory Committee to submit its final report at the Council’s forty-second session.

As for regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, the Committee requested the drafting group to submit its final report at the Advisory Committee’s twenty-first session with a view to submitting the final report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-ninth session.

With respect to national policies and human rights in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Advisory Committee requested the drafting group to submit a preliminary report at its twenty-first session.

Finally, regarding the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, the Advisory Committee requested the drafting group to re-circulate the questionnaire to seek the views of States, relevant international and regional organization, and other stakeholders, and to submit a progress report at the Committee’s twenty-first session.

At the opening of the session on 19 February, Ambassador Vojislav Šuc addressed the Advisory Committee for the first time in his capacity as the President of the Human Rights Council, noting that 2018 was the Committee’s tenth anniversary. The contributions of the Advisory Committee enabled the Human Rights Council and the international community to raise awareness on important and emerging human rights issues, stressed Mr. Šuc.

At the first meeting of the twentieth session, the following experts were elected by acclamation: Katharina Pabel (Chair), Changrok Soh (Vice-Chair), Mario Luis Coriolano (Vice-Chair), Imeru Tamrat Yigezu (Vice-Chair and Rapporteur) and Ion Diaconu (Vice-Chair).

The Advisory Committee adopted the report of the session. Documentation relating to the twentieth session can be found on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.


The twenty-first session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 6 to 10 August 2018.


Background

The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). 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. 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.

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.

Following is the list of members of the Advisory Committee and expiration dates for their respective terms of office:

Ibrahim Abdulaziz Alsheddi (Saudi Arabia, 2018); Mohamed Bennani (Morocco, 2020); Lazhari Bouzid (Algeria, 2019); Mario Luis Coriolano (Argentina, 2018); Ion Diaconu (Romania, 2020); Carla Hananía de Varela (El Salvador, 2019); Ludovic Hennebel (Belgium, 2020); Mikhail Lebedev (Russian Federation, 2019); Xinsheng Liu (China, 2019); Ajai Malhotra (India, 2020); Kaoru Obata (Japan, 2019); Mona Omar (Egypt, 2019); Katharina Pabel (Austria, 2018); Elizabeth Salmón (Peru, 2020); Dheerujlall Baramlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius, 2020); Changrok Soh (Republic of Korea, 2020); Imeru Tamrat Yigezu (Ethiopia, 2018); and Jean Ziegler (Switzerland, 2019).


For use of the information media; not an official record

AC18/002E