ROUNDUP

15 August 2014

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee today concluded its thirteenth session, which was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 11 to 15 August 2014.

The Advisory Committee, a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council, adopted recommendations to the Human Rights Council to entrust it with the drafting of final reports on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal, on local government and human rights, and on human rights and unilateral coercive measures.

The Committee also decided to institutionalize its meetings with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with the Bureau of the Human Rights Council, and with regional and political group coordinators. It decided to continue the practice of resorting to the expertise of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, NGOs, academics and others to inform the deliberations and work of the Committee.

The Advisory Committee decided to submit the following research proposals to the Council: the impact of settler colonialism on human rights; whistleblowing and human rights; the activities of vulture funds and human rights; preserving international water courses to protect the right to life and food; and unaccompanied child migration and human rights.

It also decided to re-submit its earlier proposals on the possibility of establishing a universal human rights court; citizens' security and human rights; and youth and human rights.

Documentation relating to the thirteenth session can be found on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.

The fourteenth session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will be held from 23 to 27 February 2015.

Background

The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts who support the work of the Human Rights Council. It was established in 2008, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, to provide studies and research-based advice, as requested by the Council, and meets twice annually. The Committee’s work is implementation-oriented and follows thematic issues linked to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. It interacts with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society bodies.

Membership

The membership of the Advisory Committee conforms to 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.

Following is the list of members of the Advisory Committee and expiration dates for their respective terms of office:

Saeed Mohamed Al Faihani (Bahrain, 2015); Laurence Boisson de Chazournes (France, 2014); Mario L. Coriolano (Argentina, 2015); Hoda Elsadda (Egypt, 2016); Karla Hanania de Varela (El Salvador, 2016); Latif Hüseynov (Azerbaijan, 2014); Mikhail Lebedev (Russian Federation, 2016); Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora (Uganda, 2016); Kaoru Obata (Japan, 2016); Obiora Chinedu Okafor (Nigeria, 2014); Katharina Pabel (Austria, 2015); Anantonia Reyes Prado (Guatemala, 2014); Cecilia Rachel V. Quisumbing (Philippines, 2014); Ahmer Bilal Soofi (Pakistan, 2014); Imeru Tamrat Yigezu (Ethiopia, 2015); Yishan Zhang (China, 2016) and Jean Ziegler (Switzerland, 2016).

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For use of the information media; not an official record