Twenty-second session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee taking place in Geneva from 18 to 22 February 2019

GENEVA (14 February 2019) - The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will hold its twenty-second session from 18 to 22 February 2019 in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Chamber (Room XX) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

During the session, the Committee will continue its discussions on the negative effect of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights (HRC resolution 34/8); the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights (HRC resolution 34/3); the non-repatriation of illicit funds (HRC resolution 34/11); the contribution of development to the enjoyment of human rights (HRC resolution 35/21); national policies and human rights in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (HRC resolution 35/32); the global call for comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (General Assembly resolution 72/157); and the role of technical assistance and capacity building in fostering mutually beneficial cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights (HRC resolution 37/23).

The Advisory Committee will also set up a drafting group to prepare a research-based report on the importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development, as per HRC resolution 39/9 including an oral update, at its 42nd session in September 2019, and eventually a written report at the Council’s 45th session in September 2020.  

On Monday, 18 February at 11 a.m., the Advisory Committee will publicly open the session, and adopt its agenda and programme of work.  It will then discuss national policies and human rights in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and implementation of the 2030 Agenda. 

Also on Monday afternoon, the Committee will hold public discussions on the new mandate on the importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development.  Afterwards, the Committee members will continue its work on activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights, with a view to finalise its report for submission to the Human Rights Council during its 41st session in June 2019, and then hold discussions on the progress report on the negative effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights, to be finalised and submitted to the Council at its 42nd session in September 2019.  

On Tuesday, 19 February, the Advisory Committee will hold public discussions on the non-repatriation of illicit funds will work towards finalising its report for submission to the Human Rights Council in September 2019, at its 42nd session.  The Committee will then move on to a discussion on the contribution of development to the enjoyment of human rights to finalise its study on the issue for its subsequent submission to the Human Rights Council in June, at its 41st session.  Also on Tuesday morning, the Committee’s drafting group on the global call for comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, set up at the Committee’s last session in August 2018, will hold discussions submit and discuss preliminary outline on the subject. 

On Tuesday afternoon, the Committee will hold a public discussion on the role of technical assistance and capacity building in fostering mutually beneficial cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights, based on the drafting group’s preliminary outline for the study.  Thereafter, the Committee members will meet privately to continue the drafting group’s work on vulture funds, the negative effect of terrorism and non-repatriation of illicit funds.

On Wednesday, 20 February, the Committee members will hold a private meeting with the Human Rights Council Bureau and regional coordinators, before holding a public meeting with non-governmental organisations and nation human rights institutions.  In the afternoon, the Committee will be meeting in private to continue drafting group discussions on the right to development, technical assistance and capacity building, a follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and national policies and human rights.

On Thursday, the Committee will hold a series of private meetings to advance its work on development and the enjoyment of human rights, vulture funds, terrorism, and illicit funds, and to discuss its methods of work, with a view to, inter alia, improving its cooperation with other United Nations bodies.  In the afternoon, the Committee will move to a public meeting to discuss its annual programme of work and consider research proposals addressing gender equality, promoting economic, social and cultural rights through jurisdictional means, and on the impact of new digital technology on human rights.

On Friday, the 18-member body will take action on recommendations to the Human Rights Council before adopting its report and concluding its session.  

Documentation relating to the twenty-second session, including the agenda and programme of work, is available on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.

Background

The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). 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:

Ibrahim Abdulaziz Alsheddi (Saudi Arabia, 2021); Mohamed Bennani (Morocco, 2020); Lazhari Bouzid (Algeria, 2019); Alessio Bruni (Italy, 2021); Ion Diaconu (Romania, 2020); Karla Hananía de Varela (El Salvador, 2019); Ludovic Hennebel (Belgium, 2020); Mikhail Lebedev (Russian Federation, 2019); José Augusto Lindgren Alves (Brazil, 2021); Xinsheng Liu (China, 2019); Ajai Malhotra (India, 2020); Kaoru Obata (Japan, 2019); Mona Omar (Egypt, 2019); Elizabeth Salmón (Peru, 2020); Dheerujlall Baramlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius, 2020); Changrok Soh (Republic of Korea, 2020); Cheikh Tidiane Thiam (Senegal, 2021); and Jean Ziegler (Switzerland, 2019).

Programme of Work

Monday, 18 February

10 a.m.         Expert member meeting (private)

11 a.m.         Opening of the session, election of officers, adoption of the agenda and
programme of work 

12 p.m.         Discussion on national policies and human rights

3 p.m.          Discussion on the importance of a legally binding instrument on the right to development

4 p.m.          Discussion on the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights

5 p.m.          Discussion on the negative effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of human rights

Tuesday, 19 February

10 a.m.         Discussion on the negative impact of the non-repatriation of funds of illicit
origin 

11 a.m.         Discussion on the contribution of development to the enjoyment of human rights 

12 p.m.         Discussion on a global call for a comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

3 p.m.          Discussion on the role of technical assistance and capacity-building in fostering mutually beneficial cooperation in promoting and protecting human rights

4 p.m.          Private drafting group meetings

Wednesday, 20 February

10 a.m.         Private meetings

12 p.m.         Meeting with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions

3 p.m.          Private drafting group meetings

Thursday, 21 February

10 a.m.         Private drafting group meetings

3 p.m.          Private meeting to discuss methods of work

4 p.m.          Discussion on the agenda and annual programme of work, including priorities – reflection papers and research proposals

Friday, 22 February

10 a.m.         Expert member meeting (private)

11 a.m.         Action taking by the Advisory Committee

3 p.m.           (Continuation) Action taking by the Advisory Committee and adoption of the session report, and closing of the session

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For use of the information media; not an official record