Extends Mandate of Working Group on Drafting Optional Protocol to International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights The Human Rights Council this afternoon adopted by consensus the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and recommended…

The Human Rights Council this morning discussed how to set up the modalities of the universal periodic review mechanism, which would periodically review the situation of human rights in all countries, hearing delegations proposing the creation of a working group to design the modalities.…

Speakers Urge Extension of Mandates of Special Procedures for One Year Pending Examination in an Inter-Sessional Working Group The Human Rights Council this afternoon discussed the review of the mandates and mechanisms which it inherited from the former Commission on Human Rights. In the…

Speakers Urge Council to Approve the Draft Convention The Human Rights Council in a midday meeting concluded its discussion on the report of the Working Group to elaborate a draft legally binding normative instrument for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance. Speakers said…

Speakers Divided on Question of Adoption of Draft Declaration The Human Rights Council this afternoon discussed the report of the Working Group on a draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, remaining divided over adopting the draft Declaration or continuing to…

Council Concludes Discussion on Right to Development The Human Rights Council this morning discussed the reports of the Working Groups on the elaboration of an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and on the elaboration of a Convention for the…

Addresses Situation in Occupied Arab Territories, Abuja Agreement, Religious Intolerance, Migration and Human Rights Defenders The Human Rights Council this morning began its general substantive debate, taking up, under agenda item 4, namely, the Implementation of General Assembly resolution 60/…

Discussion also Addresses Religious Intolerance; Migrants and Human Rights Defenders The Human Rights Council, in a midday meeting, concluded its first substantive debate under agenda item 4, namely, the implementation of General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, under which it took up…

Members Support Continuation of the Mandates of the Working Groups The Human Rights Council this afternoon discussed the reports of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the Working Group on the Right to…

Council Holds Interactive Dialogue with High Commissioner on her Report Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, today presented her report to the Human Rights Council, stressing that poverty continued to be the most serious, invidious and widespread human rights…