HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS FIRST SESSION IN GENEVA FROM 4 TO 15 AUGUST 2008

The first session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will be held from 4 to 15 August 2008, in Room XIX of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. During the session, the Advisory Committee is scheduled to elect its officers, adopt its agenda and organization of work, discuss the mandate entrusted to it by the Human Rights Council and decide on its annual programme of work and working methods. The Advisory Committee will also treat requests to it stemming from Human Rights Council resolutions and adopt a report to the Council.

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, composed of 18 experts, was established to provide expertise in the manner and form requested by the Council, focusing mainly on studies and research-based advice. The Advisory Committee replaces the former Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, whose main functions were to undertake studies on human rights issues and to make recommendations concerning the prevention of discrimination of any kind and the protection of minorities.

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 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. Member States and observers, including States that are not members of the Council, the specialized agencies, other intergovernmental organizations and national human rights institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations, shall be entitled to participate in the work of the Advisory Committee based on arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights and the Council. The Advisory Committee is empowered to convene up to two sessions for a maximum of 10 working days per year.

At its first meeting, the Advisory Committee will elect a Chair and its Bureau from among its members, and then adopt its agenda and organization of work. During the rest of the first week, it is scheduled to discuss the implementation of section III of Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 establishing the Committee, in particular, its working methods, rules of procedure, agenda and annual programme of work.

During the second week, the Advisory Committee will turn to consideration of requests formulated in Council resolutions. These include a request to prepare a draft declaration on human rights education and training (Council resolution 6/10); to regularly and systematically integrate a gender perspective into the implementation of its mandate, including when examining the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination against women and to include in its reports information on and qualitative analysis of human rights of women and girls (resolution 6/30); to integrate the perspective of persons with disabilities, as appropriate, in carrying out its work and in its recommendations so as to facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the work of the Council (resolution 7/9); to consider potential recommendations for approval by the Council on possible further measures to enhance the realization of the right to food, bearing in mind the priority importance of promoting the implementation of existing standards (resolution 7/14); to prepare a study on best practices regarding missing persons (resolution 7/28); and to formulate a draft set of principles and guidelines to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members (resolution 8/13). At the end of the second week, the Advisory Committee will discuss and adopt its report, including suggestions, to the Human Rights Council.

Documentation and updated information on the Advisory Committee, including an annotated agenda and timetable for the consideration of agenda items at its first session, will be posted on the Advisory Committee’s webpage as this information becomes available (see http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm).

Membership

The 18 members of the Advisory Committee were elected on 26 March 2008, at the seventh session of the Council. The membership of the Advisory Committee has to conform with 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. The list of members of the Advisory Committee and their respective terms of office are set out below.

José Antonio Bengoa Cabello (Chile) 2009; Ansar Ahmed Burney (Pakistan) 2010; Chen Shiqiu (China) 2008; Chung Chinsung (Republic of Korea) 2009; Emmanuel Decaux (France) 2010; Héctor Felipe Fix Fierro (Mexico) 2010; Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Germany) 2009; Latif Hüseynov
(Azerbaijan) 2010; Baba Kura Kaigama (Nigeria) 2010; Vladimir Kartashkin (Russian Federation) 2009; Miguel Alfonso Martínez (Cuba) 2008; Bernards Andrews Nyamwaya Mudho (Kenya) 2009; Purificacion V. Quisumbing (Philippines) 2010; Shigeki Sakamoto (Japan) 2009; Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius) 2010; Halima Embarek Warzazi (Morocco) 2008; Jean Ziegler (Switzerland) 2008; and Mona Zulficar (Egypt) 2009.


For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC/AC/08001E