25th Annual Meeting of special procedures

The 25th Annual Meeting of Special Procedures will take place in Geneva from 4 to 8 June 2018. The Annual Meeting offers mandate holders the opportunity to discuss issues of common interest, coordinate their work and meet with a range of stakeholders, including States and civil society organizations.

This year’s meeting will take place in the context of several initiatives and reforms undertaken in the UN. The meeting will therefore focus on strategic and policy issues in light of the challenges faced by the human rights system in general and the system of special procedures in particular. Attention will be given to internal and external challenges and the following related topics:

• Mandate holders will discuss issues related to the Human Rights Council and the current strengthening process. Mandate holders will also address issues related to their working methods such as enhancing some aspects of their communications procedure and examining the various ways mandate holders have at their disposal to engage with countries at the national level.
• Mandate holders will also address issues related to cooperation with States and other stakeholders, including lack or selective cooperation by States, instances of personal attacks against mandate holders and of reprisals against those cooperating with special procedures.
• Mandate holders will in addition engage with stakeholders on issues related to the ongoing UN reforms and their possible impact on human rights and special procedures, the engagement of special procedures with the whole UN system, including entities based in New-York, the protection mandate of the UN and the role of independent mechanisms in this context and the prevention mandate of the UN focusing on how the UN system and special procedures can join forces on this area
• Mandate holders will have an exchange with representatives of regional human rights mechanisms focusing this year on the African and Inter-American systems and the lessons learned in developing a roadmap for cooperation.
• Mandate holders will also meet with the High Commissioner, the President of the Human Rights Council, Member States and civil society/NHRIs. The meeting with States will take place on Thursday 7 June in the morning in Palais des Nations. The meeting with civil society will take place the same day in the afternoon.

Civil society organizations are invited to submit relevant information or points for consideration by the special procedures by 1 June 2018, which will serve to inform the discussions. Submissions can be sent to (spannualmeeting@ohchr.org).