Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights
At its twenty-third session, Council adopted resolution 23/3 (A/HRC/RES/23/3) on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights. The resolution highlighted the importance of the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights as an essential condition for the full achievement of the purposes of the United Nations and as an effective and practical contribution to the task of preventing violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Council took note of the seminar on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights that took place on 15 February 2013 during which the results of the study on international cooperation were presented by Mr Seetulsingh on behalf of the Committee. Council mandated the Committee to prepare, in consultation with States, a more focused and in-depth study on the ways and means to enhance international cooperation in the field of human rights, including, but not limited to, the identification of areas where further progress could be made, taking into account responses received further to the consultations as requested by the General Assembly in resolution 67/169, and to submit a progressive report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-sixth session in June 2014.
At its eleventh session in August 2013, the Advisory Committee established a drafting group tasked with the drafting of the report and designated the following experts as members of the drafting group Mr. Saeed Mohamed Al Faihani, Ms. Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Mr. Mario L. Coriolano, Mr. Latif Hüseynov, Mr. Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora, Mr. Obiora Chinedu Okafor (Rapporteur), Ms. Katharina Pabel and Mr. Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Chairperson), as well as Mr. Shigeki Sakamoto, whose term ended on 30 September 2013. Subsequently, Mr. Mikhail Lebedev and Mr. Jean Ziegler also joined the drafting group.
In line with Council resolution 23/3, the Committee prepared the following questionnaires, which was disseminated to States in September 2013:
Call for contributions
Responses received
At its twelfth session in February 2014, the Advisory Committee requested the drafting group to finalize its progress report to the Council in the light of the discussion held by the Committee at the twelfth session after circulating it to all members of the Advisory Committee for approval electronically, and to submit it to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-sixth session.
Background:
Council resolution 13/23 requested “the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee to explore ways and means to enhance cooperation in the field of human rights”, to facilitate exchanges of information and best practices in this regard, taking into account the “views” of “States and relevant stakeholders”, and to submit proposals to the Council at its nineteenth session.
At its fifth session, the Advisory Committee set up a drafting group, with Mr. Chen, Mr. Decaux (Rapporteur), Mr. Hüseynov, Mr. Kartashkin, Ms. Quisumbing, Mr. Seetulsingh (Chairperson) and Ms. Warzazi tasked with undertaking preparatory work on the issue (Advisory Committee recommendation 5/4). Ms. Boisson de Chazournes was subsequently appointed to replace Mr. Decaux as Rapporeur as his mandate came to an end.
At its sixth session, the Advisory Committee considered a preliminary working paper (A/HRC/AC/6/CRP.4), which attempted to clarify the legal basis for international cooperation in the field of human rights and discuss the key issues that revolve around the dialectic between the two concepts.
At its seventh session, the Advisory Committee discussed the progress report (A/HRC/AC/7/2) and prepared a questionnaire to seek further views from States and relevant stakeholders (Advisory Committee recommendation 6/4).
At its eighth session, the Advisory Committee considered the responses to the questionnaire [about 10 responses had been received from States and NGOs] and the final report (A/HRC/AC/8/3), and submitted the revised version to the Human Rights Council at its nineteenth session (A/HRC/19/74).
The Human Rights Council at its nineteenth session, took note of the study of the Advisory Committee on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights (A/HRC/19/74) mandated pursuant to Council resolution 13/23.
The Council also requested the Office of the High Commissioner to organize a seminar on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, with the participation of States, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, and other stakeholders, including academic experts and civil society, in addition to a member of the Advisory Committee. The Seminar, which built upon the study prepared by the Advisory Committee, including the recommendations contained therein, took place on 15 February 2013 and OHCHR prepared a summary of the Seminar, which was submitted to the 22nd session of the Council: