Human Rights Council  
AFTERNOON

20 September 2016

The Human Rights Council today held an interactive dialogue with the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.

Imeru Tamrat Yigezu, Vice-Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, presented the annual report of the Advisory Committee, as well as two thematic reports on migrant children and on the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights.  During the reporting period, the Advisory Committee had submitted two new research proposals: on youth, human rights and social cohesion, and on climate-induced displacement and human rights.

During the ensuing discussion, delegations welcomed the Advisory Committee’s reports, with many singling out its report on unaccompanied migrant children as particularly important.  The Advisory Committee’s report on vulture funds was also noted as bringing the discussion forward.   

Speaking in today’s meeting were the representatives of the European Union, Pakistan, Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Ethiopia, El Salvador, China, Sovereign Order of Malta, Belgium, and Argentina.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission took the floor, as did the following non-governmental organizations: Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism, Associazione Communita Papa Giovanni XXIII, Conseil international pour le soutien  à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme, Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association, Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee, Tourner la page, Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice delle Salesiane di Don Bosco, and Human Rights Information and Training Centre.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 September, the Council will consider the outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review of Suriname, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Samoa, before starting its general debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms.  At 3 p.m., the Council is scheduled to consider the outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review of Greece, Sudan, and Hungary.    
 
Documentation
 
The Council has before it the Reports of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee on its 16th and 17th sessions - Note by the Secretariat (A/HRC/33/52).

The Council has before it The global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights- Study of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (A/HRC/33/53). 

The Council has before it the Research on the activities of vulture funds and the impact on human rights - Progress report of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (A/HRC/33/54).
 
Presentation of the Reports of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee
 
IMERU TAMRAT YIGEZU, Vice-Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, presenting the annual report of the Advisory Committee, said that the Advisory Committee had continued to give priority to requests stemming from Council resolutions and had made considerable progress on the mandates entrusted to it.  The first thematic report - progress report on the study on the global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights – noted the complexity of the global issue which had become a human rights tragedy, and the need to address its roots causes, such as generalized poverty, prevalence of worst forms of child labour, and political instability.  Implementation of the provisions of international treaties was still lacking, and the major weakness lay in accountability.  Countries of origin, transit and destination ought to share responsibility.  The second report – on the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights – showed that vulture funds took advantage of the lack of adequate regulation of a financial system that was traditionally based on purely commercial interests and not integrating human-rights based approaches and concerns.  Through lengthy and costly litigation, vulture funds contributed to diverting States’ resources from other, more pressing development, social and human rights issues.  The report underscored the need for a more coherent framework where both commercial interests and human rights concerns were accommodated.

The Advisory Committee had also made good progress on one of its ongoing mandates – the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy.   The progress report would be presented to the Council at its thirty-fifth session.  The Committee had started working on two new mandates, entrusted to it by the Council this year: the impact of the flow of funds of illicit origin and the non-repatriation thereof to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, and on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights.  During the reporting period, the Committee has submitted two new research proposals: on youth, human rights and social cohesion, and on climate-induced displacement and human rights.  Mr. Yigezu concluded by stressing the collective nature of the work of the Advisory Committee, a unique collegial body.

Interactive Dialogue with the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee
 
European Union appreciated the initiative of the Advisory Committee to continue to hold an exchange of views in a transparent and open manner.  It asked about the ways that the Advisory Committee could help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Human Rights Council.  Pakistan praised the Advisory Committee for having brought new resolutions and initiatives to the Council’s attention such as the human rights of persons with albinism, sport and the Olympic ideal to promote human rights, and the promotion of the right to peace.  Cuba drew attention to the Advisory Committee’s activities on vulture funds and their effect on human rights and a study on unaccompanied minors.  It was important for the Advisory Committee to continue to act as the think tank of the Council. 

Ecuador congratulated the Advisory Committee for its reports on many subjects, namely on vulture funds and human rights, and on the vulnerability of unaccompanied minors.  Venezuela reiterated its firm support for the work of the Advisory Committee, notably its work on the issue of non-accompanied migrant children.  It expressed concern over the situation of that vulnerable group, which was frequently subjected to sexual trafficking and labour exploitation.  Ethiopia noted that the Advisory Committee’s wide and diverse expertise had not yet been fully utilized, notably with respect to climate change and its effects on the enjoyment human rights.     

El Salvador spoke about the Advisory Committee’s report on migrant children, and underlined that the Human Rights Council was the correct forum for discussing their situation, adding that States had to undertake their obligations for the protection of the human rights of that group.  China noted the submission of the Advisory Group’s reports on unaccompanied minor children and on vulture funds, and said that vulture funds had become increasingly active in recent years, causing an impact in many countries, noting also that the Advisory Committee was the think-tank of the Human Rights Council.  Sovereign Order of Malta thanked the Advisory Committee for pursuing its efforts toward the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, and gave details of the Sovereign Order of Malta’s own work against leprosy, which included an international conference in Rome last year on the topic. 

Belgium welcomed the Advisory Committee’s report on unaccompanied migrant children, and took the opportunity to raise the issue of reprisals against civil society representatives and human rights defenders who cooperated with the Council, noting that acts of intimidation or reprisals against human rights defenders and others who cooperated with the Council were not acceptable.  Argentina commended the praiseworthy work of the Advisory Committee on vulture funds and their impact on human rights.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission praised the work of the Advisory Committee which provided qualitative and substantive input to the Human Rights Council.  The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission promoted human rights values within Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries and prepared reports on substantive issues for consideration by the Organization's Member States, aimed at bridging the gap between the Islamic and secular perspective of human rights. 

Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism said that the military intervention in Yemen, which had led to the deaths of many people, could be considered a war crime.  Saudi Arabia, as a United Nations Member State, should respect the principles listed in the Charter.  All parties to the conflict should push for an immediate ceasefire. Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII, on behalf of severals NGOs1, welcomed the study on migrant children, who were extremely vulnerable.  Thousands of them were exposed to human trafficking and exploited.  Detention should never be used, even as a measure of last resort.  Conseil international pour le soutien à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme stated that vulture funds dealt with developing countries, especially those in situations of debt.  It was possible that a fund for the reconstruction of Yemen would eventually be funded by the aggressor countries. 

Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association urged the Council to consider the problems of caste-affected communities and the Dalits in their daily life, namely of the modern forms of slavery they suffered from in India.  It requested the Council and the Advisory Committee to implement recommendations relevant to their rights.  Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee stated that the United Nations human rights bodies had to note that indigenous peoples across the globe continued to be one of the most discriminated populations, especially those in the north-east of India.  They were evicted from their own land and forced to become a minority. 

Tourner la page noted that the Eelam Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka were under occupation of the ethnic Sinhala military.  There was a need for continuous monitoring in the occupied Tamil-speaking homeland and the Council was urged to establish a special agenda item on that issue.  Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice delle Salesiane di Don Bosco drew attention to the issue of unaccompanied migrant children and their access to education.  It called on States of origin, transit and destination to ensure that they had access to primary and secondary education.  Human Rights Information and Training Centre drew attention to the human rights situation in Yemen, especially the killing and injuring of women and children.  Another alarming issue in Yemen was the arbitrary detention of ethnic minorities. 


Concluding Remarks
 
IMERU TAMRAT YIGEZU, Vice-Chairperson of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, thanked delegations for placing their trust in the Advisory Committee.  One important and recurring question was how to increase the Advisory Committee’s efficiency.  One of the things that could be seen was that the Advisory Committee was very under-utilized.  One of the things that needed to be done was for Council members to try to bring in proposals and push for further mandates for the Advisory Committee.  The Council should examine how it could expedite the passage of resolutions to give the Advisory Committee mandates.  Giving as an example the mandate on leprosy, he said very few responses had been received from States.  Many non-governmental organizations had responded, however, and they had reflected positive action taken by States, as well as obstacles they were facing.  With regard to the two studies which had currently been submitted to the Council, he thanked the Council members for their support for the reports, but noted that how the Council was to pursue recommendations in the reports was an issue.  

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1Joint statement: Associazione Comunita Papa Giovanni XXIII; Arab Commission for Human Rights; Caritas Internationalis (International Confederation of Catholic Charities); Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; Edmund Rice International Limited; International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL); International Catholic Child Bureau; International Catholic Migration Commission; Mouvement International d'Apostolate des Milieux Sociaux Independants; Pax Christi International, International Catholic Peace Movement; World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations; Foundation for GAIA; Planetary Association for Clean Energy, Inc., The; and Global Eco-Village Network, The.

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