BACKGROUND RELEASE

20 February 2014

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will hold its twelfth session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 24 to 28 February 2014.

During the session, the Committee, a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council, will work on requests addressed to it by the Council, including the promotion and protection of human rights in post-disaster and post-conflict situations, enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, and the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights.

The Advisory Committee will also discuss its standing items concerning, inter alia integration of a gender perspective and integration of the perspective of persons with disabilities, in addition to updates on new developments and follow-up to reports submitted to the Human Rights Council.

On Monday, 24 February, the Advisory Committee will publicly open its session at 11 a.m. and elect officers, followed by the adoption of its agenda and programme of work. The Committee will then hold a discussion on human rights in post-disaster and post-conflict situations. At 3 p.m. a discussion on the enhancement of international cooperation will take place.

In the morning of Tuesday, 25 February, the Advisory Committee will discuss the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, starting at 10 a.m. That afternoon it will consider ways of promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal in a special meeting that will feature presentations by Mr. Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on sport for development and peace and Professor Constantinos Filis, Director, International Olympic Truce Centre.

Local government and human rights will be the topic of discussion on the morning of Wednesday 26 February, with presentations by Mr. Seonghoon Lee of the Korea Human Rights Foundation and Ms. Andrea Egbuna-Joss from the Swiss Center for Expertise in Human Rights/Institute of Federalism. That afternoon the Committee will consider human rights and unilateral coercive measures with a presentation by Professor Jean Ziegler.

At 10 a.m. on Thursday 27 February the Committee will discuss attacks against persons with albinism. The discussion will begin with presentations by Ms. Miranda Brown from the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and Mr. Peter Ash, of the non-governmental organization Under The Same Sun. In the afternoon meeting the Committee will consider follow-up to reports submitted to the Human Rights Council, and hear update on new developments on the subjects of the right to food (rights of peasants) and the right to peace. The Committee will also discuss its methods of work and consider its annual programme of work, including new priorities.

On Friday, 28 February, the Advisory Committee will meet in private until 11 a.m., followed by a public meeting in which it will adopt its report for the session, including action taking by the Committee, then conclude the session in the afternoon.

Please note that the deadline for the submission of draft actions is noon on Thursday 27 February.

Documentation relating to the twelfth session, including the agenda and draft programme of work, can be found on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.

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.

The Human Rights Council elected the five new members at its twenty-fourth session in September 2013:

On 26 September 2013, at its twenty-fourth session, the Council elected five new experts: Ms. Hoda Elsadda (Egypt), Mr. Alexandrovich Mikhail Lebedev (Russian Federation), Mr. Kaoru Obata (Japan), Mr. Yishan Zhang (China) and Mr. Jean Ziegler (Switzerland). Mr. Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora (Uganda) was re-elected for a second term.

One seat for a member of the Committee from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States remains vacant given that no nomination was received from the Latin American and Caribbean region. The election of the member for that group is scheduled to take place at the 25th session of the Council in March 2014.

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); 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); Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius, 2014); Ahmer Bilal Soofi (Pakistan, 2014); Imeru Tamrat Yigezu (Ethiopia, 2015); Yishan Zhang (China, 2016) and Jean Ziegler (Switzerland, 2016).



Programme of Work


Monday, 24 February

10 a.m. Closed meeting

11 a.m. Opening of session, election of officers, adoption of agenda, organizational and other matters.
Discussion on human rights in post-disaster and post-conflict situations

3 p.m. Discussion on the enhancement of international cooperation.

Tuesday, 25 February

10 a.m. Discussion on the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of
human rights.

3 p.m. Discussion on ways of promoting human rights through sport and the
Olympic ideal

Wednesday, 26 February

10 a.m. Discussion on local government and human rights

3 p.m. Discussion on human rights and unilateral coercive measures


Thursday, 27 February

10 a.m. Discussion on attacks against persons with albinism

3 p.m. Discussion on follow-up to reports submitted to the Human Rights Council, update on new developments on the subjects of the right to food (rights of
peasants) and right to peace, consideration of annual programme of work and new priorities.

Friday, 28 February

10 a.m. Closed meeting

11 a.m. Adoption of the report of the Advisory Committee on its eleventh session, including action taking by the Advisory Committee

3 p.m. Adoption of the report of the Advisory Committee on its eleventh session, including action taking by the Advisory Committee (continued). Close of
the session.

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For use of the information media; not an official record