News

Latest Human Rights Council news

• Official launch of the UNRISD Flagship Report 2010 (24/08/10)
  The Flagship Report on Combating Poverty and Inequality: Structural Change, Social Policy and Politics will be launched on 3rd of September 2010, in room XII of Palais des Nations, from 10am to 5pm. For more details please click here.


• Invitation to join the “e-Discussion : Practical Examples and Policies in Furthering Human Rights and the MDGs” (25/06/10)
  The Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of the UNDG (United Nations Development Group) Human Rights Mainstreaming Mechanism, Kyung-wha Kang and the Director of the Democratic Governance Group, UNDP and Vice-Chair Geraldine Fraser–Moleketi launched an e-Discussion on Practical examples and policies in furthering human rights and the MDGs. This e-Discussion will run from 14 June to 09 July 2010 and contributions are welcome in English, French and Spanish.
  To join the e-Discussion, please email to: humanrights-talk(a)groups.undp.org and put in the subject box: “e-Discussion: Practical Examples and Policies in Furthering Human Rights and the MDGs.”



• Invitation of NGOs and NHRIs to an exchange of views with mandate holders of Special Procedures (18/06/10)
  The 17th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures will be held from 28 June to 2 July upcoming. For this occasion, NGOs and NHRIs (3 representatives maximum per organisation) are invited to an exchange of views with mandate holders which is scheduled to take place on thursday, 29 June at the First Floor Conference Room of OHCHR, Palais Wilson, 52 rue des Pâquis, Geneva from 3.00 to 6.00 p.m. If you have written statements, you should send them in advance and bring 10 copies for the podium, note takers and interpreters. More information on the 17th Annual Meeting here.



• Invitation to the 11th Inter-Committee Meeting of UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (18/06/10)
  The Secretariat of the Inter-Committee Meeting (ICM) of UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies invites your organization to participate in the 11th Meeting, which will take place from the 28th to the 30th of June at the First Floor Conference Room at OHCHR Palais Wilson (52 rue des Pâquis), Geneva, Switzerland. Click here in order to see the Secretariat's Note on Treaty bodies' lists of issues prior to reporting (targeted/focused reports), as well as the provisional agenda, and all related documentation. For further information on organizational matters, and to confirm your participation, please contact Ms. Danielle Kirby: Tel: +41 (022) 917 9629, email: dkirby(a)ohchr.org.



• Contributions invited for database containing information on practical means to address racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (17/06/10)
  The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) invites your contributions for the elaboration of a database containing information on practical means to address racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Submissions are invited on: national legislation (including anti-discrimination legislation), best practices, educationnal and preventive programmes implemented at national and regional levels, academic studies and specialised documents and information on national remedies. Submissions should be sent by 21 June at the following address: adusecretariat(a)ohchr.org. The collected materials will serve as a reference for Member States, National Human Rights Institutions, UN bodies, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders in furthering their activities to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.



• OHCHR 2009 Activities and Results Report (17/06/10)
  The 2009 Activities and Results Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is available online. Click here in order to consult it.



• 13th session of the Human Rights Council on Youtube (16/06/10)
  The Secretariat of the human Rights Council has put online a clip of the 13th session of the Human Rights Council which was held in March 2010. Click here in order to watch the video on Youtube.



• Nomination of a chairperson for the next Forum on Minority Issues scheduled to be held in December 2010 (16/06/10)
  The next Forum on Minority Issues will be held on 14-15 December 2010. For this occasion and with reference to resolution 6/15 of 28 September 2007, the President of the Human Rights Council is requested to appoint, on the basis of regional rotation, and in consultation with regional groups, a chairperson of the Forum among experts on minority issues, nominated by members and Observers of the Council. The chairperson shall be responsible for a preparation of a summary of the discussion of the Forum. Delegations wishing to submit nominations for the chairperson are invited to do so no later than 23 July 2010 to : Secretariat of the Human Rights Council OHCHR 8-14 Avenue de la Paix 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland, Fax. +41 (022) 917-9011.



• Deadline for submission of questionnaires on Good Practices in Water (10/06/10)
  The Independent Expert on human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, has requested submissions in order to support her collection of Good Practices for a Compendium to be presented to the Human Rights Council in 2011. The deadline for submission of questionnaires on Good Practices in Water, Sanitation and Human Rights is 30 June 2010. Click here to download the questionnaire in English, French or Spanish. Send submissions to : iewater(a)ohchr.org.



• Informal consultations on the process and modalities of the Human Rights Council Review (25/05/10)
  Informal consultations on the process and modalities of the Human Rights Council review will be held on Wednesday the 26th of May at 10 a.m. in Room XX of Palais des Nations, Geneva. For further information please find here a paper of the President of the Human Rights Council (user name: hrc extranet, password: 1session). If you want to register to the Human Right Council Extranet, please click here.



• Invitation for views of the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (21/05/10)
  The UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Githu Muigai, invites your views pertaining to the issue raised in General Assembly Resolution A/RES/64/147 of 26 March 2010 entitled, "Inadmissibility of certain practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance", which condemns the persistence and resurgence of neo-Nazism, neo-Fascism and violent nationalist ideologies based on racial and national prejudice. You are invited to send your submissions by email to: racism(at)ohchr.org, by fax: +41 (0) 22 917 9006 or by writing at the following address: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights UNOG-OHCHR 1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland. The deadline is the 21st of June 2010.



• Voluntary pledges of States presenting their candidacy to become a member of the Human Rights Council (26/04/10)
  On 13th May 2010, the UN General Assembly will hold elections to replace one third of the members of the Human Rights Council. In accordance with paragraph 8 of General Assembly Resolution A/60/251, some States have provided voluntary pledges in support of their candidacy. To access the voluntary pledges as well as a list of candidats by regional groups, please refer to the website of the General Assembly.



• Call for contributions to the UN General Secretary's report on racial discrimination (21/04/10)
  The General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/148 entitled "Global efforts for the total elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action" requests the Secretary-General to submit a report with recommendations on the implementation of the resolution to the General Assembly at its sixty-fifth session.
  
  NGOs are invited to send contributions to this report by 28 May 2010 in electronic format to Ms. Barbara Paoletti, Associate Human Rights Officer, Anti-Discrimination Section (email: bpaoletti(at)ohchr.org). Contributions should not exceed five pages and focus on measures taken to implement the above-mention resolution.



• Recommendations of the 2009 Forum on Minority Issues (21/04/10)
  The Secretariat of the Forum on Minority Issues has published the recommendations of the second session of the Forum. The recommendations were presented by the Independent Expert on Minority Issues to the 13th regular session of the Human Rights Council on 16th March 2010. The Forum produced thematic recommendations that are action-oriented and aimed at increasing the inclusion and recognition of minorities within the State, while enabling them to maintain their own identity and characteristics, thus promoting good governance and the integrity of the State. The recommendations are phrased in broad terms and may be implemented in countries with diverse historical, cultural and religious backgrounds, with full respect for universal human rights. They seek to provide all stakeholders with an overview of possible options to assist them in making informed choices, including when designing legislation and policies aimed at ensuring adequate minority participation, while recognizing that there are no “one size fits all” models. To read the recommandations, please click here.
  



• Important notice: new date for the 9th UPR session! (15/04/10)
  Please note that the Calendar of Human Rights Council meetings has been revised. The 9th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group will be held from 1 to 12 November 2010 instead of 22 November to 3 December. You may find the revised version of the Calendar on the Extranet (user name: hrc extranet, password: 1session).



• WWSF World Campaign for Prevention of abuse and violence against children (15/04/10)
  Women's World Summit Foundation is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse on 19 November 2010. Join the coaltion by signing the online 2010 Campaign registration form by 15 Mai 2010. For more information on the World Campaign for Prevention of abuse and violence against children, please consult the website of the WWSF.



• Deadlines for UPR stakeholders' submissions for the 10th, 11th and 12th sessions (15/04/10)
  The deadlines for UPR stakeholders' submissions for the 10th, 11th and 12th sessions are available on the website of the OHCHR. Stakeholders' submissions shoud be sent to uprsubmissions(AT)ohchr.org. For further information or assistance, please contact the NGO Liasion Team of the Human Rights Council Secretariat at: civilsociety(AT)ohchr.org



• Calendar of NGO Parallel Events to the Human Rights Council (08/02/10)
  The Secretariat now publishes a list of NGO information meetings on the Extranet (user name: hrc extranet, password: 1session). Once logged in, click on Universal Periodic Review, then on the current session, and you will fin the list at the bottom of the page under the heading "Other".



• Eight session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, 3-14 Mai 2010, Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva (14/04/10)
  The eigth session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group will be held from 3 to 14 Mai 2010 in Room XII at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. For further details on the participation of NGO's during the UPR Working Group, please consult the website of the OHCHR. Essential information for NGO participants are also available here.



• 11th session of the Working Group on the Right to Development, 26-30 April 2010, Room XII, Palais des Nations, Geneva (7/04/10)
  The eleventh session of the Open-Ended Working-Group on the Right to Development will be held from 26 to 30 April 2010, in Room XII, Palais des Nations, Geneva. The provisional agenda, the tentative programme of work as well as other relevant documents are available on the website of the OHCHR. For further details, please contact Ms. Shyami Puvimanasinghe, Secretary of the working Group (tel: +41 22 928 95 51 and email: spuvimanasinghe(AT)ohchr.org).



• Collection of good practices by the Independent Expert on human rights obligations to access to safe drinking water and sanitation (16/02/10)
  The Independent Expert on human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation, Ms. Catarina de Albuquerque, has been requested by the Human Rights Council to collect good practices with a view to preparing a compendium of good practices in 2011. In this regard, the Independent Expert has elaborated the attached questionnaire on good practices from a human rights perspective in the fields of water and sanitation
  
  Your experiences with good practices in water and sanitation will inform the Independent Expert's work on this issue, and also help to raise awareness about the many different, creative approaches to ensuring human rights as they relate to water and sanitation. Please fill out the questionnaire and return it to the Independent Expert (iewater@ohchr.org) as soon as possible, or by 30 June 2010.
  
  For more information, please visit the Good Practices website.



• New information tools provided by the Human Rights Council: SMS alert & Twitter (09/09/09)
  The Secretariat of the Council provides new information tools to stay updated on everything related to the Council. The SMS service provides updates on the progression of the programme of work and other scheduling issues. Information particularily relevant for NGOs is posted on the Twitter page of the Civil Society Unit. More general issues regarding the 12th session of the Human Rights Council can be followed through the Twitter page of the 12th session.

Other Human Rights news

OHCHR News - press releases published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Human Rights Tribune - journalistic coverage of various human rights topics

ISHR News - Coverage of events in the Human Rights Council and the Treaty Bodies

CONGO News - News published by the Conference of NGOs in ECOSOC consultative status