Briefing note, 3 April 1998

3 April 1998


John Mills, media officer for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Commission this afternoon would vote on five resolutions. Perhaps the most interesting would be L.18 on the "human rights defenders declaration", and L.12, Italian-sponsored draft on the death penalty. The first voting would be on L.18, a draft expected to be adopted by consensus. It was his understanding that a statement on behalf of about 100 NGOs would be made. The High Commissioner would be on the podium for both votes and would be available immediately afterwards for a brief point de presse near Door 40.

To help follow resolutions, he said, his office would be putting in the press rooms a document listing the draft resolutions submitted. There would also be a running list of the outcome of voting.

On Monday afternoon, he continued, the Commission would hold a special three-hour debate on gender issues. The Chairman, Ambassador Selebi, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, Patricia Flor of Germany and the High Commissioner would all speak, along with Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Special Rapporteur on the issue of violence against women. Ambassador Selebi saw this as an important development in the Commission's efforts to put the issue of gender in the mainstream of its work. He saw gender as being not so much about women's rights but about the relationships between men and women.

Regarding upcoming press conferences, Mr Mills noted that on Monday, 6 April, at noon Ambassador Thomas Hammarberg, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, would talk about Cambodia. He had called yesterday to say he would be addressing the recent mock trial of Prince Ranariddh and some developments on the investigation of last July's coup.

Although Tuesday was a holiday he would be be in the office, Mr. Mills said. Mona Rishmawi, the independent expert on Somalia, would be available on Wednesday, and Ms. Coomaraswamy on Thursday.

In response to a request Mr. Mills said he would see whether it would be possible to have the briefings by Ms. Coomaraswamy and Mr. Hammarberg both on Monday.

The special debate on gender issues was a first, Mr. Mills said in response to a question. As he had said, Ambassador Selebi saw it as an important development in the Commission's efforts. Most Commission resolutions asked rapporteurs and experts to take account of gender issues. The debate was an attempt to get those issues very specifically in Commission's overall agenda.

The debate was also important in terms of coordination between the Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women, he said, answering another question.