5th session of the Human Rights Council: Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference
Introduction
The Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference will hold its first organizational session in Geneva from 25 to 29 June 2007 pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 61/149 English | French | Russian | Spanish | Chinese | Arabic and Human Rights Council Resolution 3/2 English | French | Russian | Spanish | Chinese | Arabic on the Preparations for the Durban Review Conference
At its sixty-first session, in its resolution 61/149 the General Assembly decided to convene in 2009 a review conference on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action to be conducted within the framework of the General Assembly, and, to this end, requested the Human Rights Council to undertake preparations for this event, making use of the three existing and on-going follow-up mechanisms; and to formulate a concrete plan and provide updates and reports on this issue on an annual basis starting in 2007.
At its third session, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 3/2 decided that the Human Rights Council will act as the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference which shall be open to the participation of all Member States of the United Nations and members of the specialized agencies and also to the participation of observers in accordance with the established practice of the General Assembly. It further decided that at its organizational sessions the Preparatory Committee shall elect, on the basis of equitable geographic representation, a bureau for the Preparatory Committee and that, at the same session, the Preparatory Committee shall decided on all the relevant modalities for the Conference in accordance with established practice of the General Assembly, including deciding on the objectives of the Review Conference, the level at which the Review Conference shall be convened, regional preparatory initiatives, date and venue.
Resolution 3/2 reaffirmed that the Durban Review Conference will be undertaken on the basis of and with full respect for the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and that there will be no renegotiation of the existing agreements contained therein. The Council also decided that it will concentrate on their implementation, including further actions, initiatives and practical solutions for combating all the contemporary scourges of racism.
Background documents: