HUMAN RIGHTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO HOLD THIRD SESSION IN GENEVA FROM 3 TO 7 AUGUST 2009

Human Rights Council
Advisory Committee
BACKGROUND RELEASE

30 July 2009



The third session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will be held from 3 to 7 August 2009 in Room XX of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. During the session, the Committee will consider requests addressed to it stemming from Human Rights Council resolutions and is expected to continue discussions on its methods of work and procedures.

The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts who serve as a think tank to the Human Rights Council, will consider four of the requests before it from the Council: a draft set of principles and guidelines to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members; a study on best practices regarding missing persons; a draft declaration on human rights education and training; and possible further measures to enhance the realization of the right to food, including a draft study on discrimination in the context of the right to food.

In its resolution 8/13 on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to collect information on measures taken by Governments to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members. It also requested the Advisory Committee to examine the OHCHR report and to formulate a draft set of principles and guidelines to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, and to submit it to the Council for its consideration by September 2009. At its first session, the Advisory Committee designated a Committee Member, Shigeki Sakamoto, to formulate draft principles and guidelines. The Committee will review, and is expected to adopt, these guidelines at the present session.

In its resolution 7/28 on missing persons, the Council decided to hold a panel discussion on the question of missing persons at its ninth session. Subsequently, the Council adopted decision 9/101, in which it requested the Advisory Committee to prepare a study on the best practices in the matter of missing persons and to submit it to the Council at its twelfth session. At its second session, the Advisory Committee adopted recommendation 2/6, establishing a drafting group to prepare the study. The drafting group is to submit the results of its work at the current session.

At its sixth session, by its resolution 6/10, the Council requested the Advisory Committee to prepare a draft declaration on human rights education and training. The Advisory Committee, at the first session, established a drafting group on human rights education and training to work on the issue by, among other things, seeking the views and inputs of relevant stakeholders on the possible elements of the content of such a Declaration. At the end of March 2009, approximately 140 responses had been received from all relevant stakeholders to the questionnaires circulated by the Secretariat. As requested, the Advisory Committee then submitted a progress report for the Council’s consideration at its tenth session, containing the elements of the draft declaration on human rights education and training. The Committee will build on the results of a seminar hosted by the Platform for Human Rights Education and Training, which was organized in order to further the reflection on elements to be included in the draft declaration pursuant to Council decision 10/117. The draft declaration on human rights education and training is to be submitted to the Council for its consideration at its thirteenth session, in March 2010.

In its resolution 7/14 on the right to food, the Council requested the Advisory Committee to consider potential recommendations for approval by the Council on possible further measures to enhance the realization of the right to food, bearing in mind the priority importance of promoting the implementation of existing standards. At its first session, the Advisory Committee established a drafting group on this topic. Following the Advisory Committee’s recommendation 2/7 on the right to food, adopted at the Committee’s second session, the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 10/12, requested the Advisory Committee to undertake a study on discrimination in the context of the right to food, including identification of good practices of anti-discriminatory policies and strategies, and to report on it to the Council at its thirteenth session.

Background

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, composed of 18 independent experts, was established to provide expertise in the manner and form requested by the Council, focusing mainly on studies and research-based advice.

The scope of the Advisory Committee’s advice is limited to thematic issues pertaining to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. The Committee should be implementation-oriented and is also urged to establish interaction with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society entities. The Committee is not mandated to adopt resolutions or decisions, but may propose to the Council, within the scope of its work as set out by the Council, suggestions for further enhancing its procedural efficiency, as well as further research proposals within the scope of the work set out by the Council.

Documentation and updated information on the Advisory Committee, including an annotated agenda and timetable for the consideration of agenda items at its first session, will be posted on the Advisory Committee’s webpage as this information becomes available (see http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm)

Membership

The 18 members of the Advisory Committee were elected on 26 March 2008, at the seventh session of the Council. The membership of the Advisory Committee has to conform with 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.

Members serve for a period of three years and are eligible for re-election once. In accordance with resolution 5/1, the staggering of terms of membership of the Advisory Committee members was determined by drawing lots immediately after the election. Hence, in the first term, one-third of the experts will serve for one year and another third for two years. Following is the list of members of the Advisory Committee and their respective terms of office: Mr. Miguel Alfonso Martinez (Cuba - 2012); Mr. José Antonio Bengoa Cabello (Chile - 2010); Mr. Ansar Ahmed Burney (Pakistan - 2011); Mr. Shiqiu Chen (China - 2012); Ms. Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea - 2010); Mr. Emmanuel Decaux (France - 2011); Mr. Hector Felipe Fix Fierro (Mexico - 2011); Mr. Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Germany - 2010); Mr. Latif Huseynov (Azerbaijan - 2011); Mr. Baba Kura Kaigama (Nigeria - 2011); Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (Russian Federation - 2010); Mr. Bernards Andrews Nyamwaya Mudho (Kenya - 2010); Ms. Purificacion V. Quisumbing (Philippines - 2011); Mr. Shigeki Sakamoto (Japan - 2010); Mr. Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius - 2011); Ms. Halima Embarek Warzazi (Morocco - 2012); Mr. Jean Ziegler (Switzerland - 2012); and Ms. Mona Zulficar (Egypt - 2010).

At the first meeting of the session, the Advisory Committee is scheduled to elect a new Bureau. The current Chairperson is Mr. Martínez; the three Vice-Chairpersons are Ms. Chung, Mr. Kartashkin and Ms. Zulficar; and the Rapporteur is Mr. Decaux.
___________

For use of the information media; not an official record