7 August 2017

Chairperson,
Distinguished members of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee,
Mr. Eric Tistounet, Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the President of the Human Rights Council, it is with great pleasure that I welcome all of you to the opening of this 19th session of the Advisory Committee.

As you may know, one of the Members of this Committee, Mr Obiora Okafor, has resigned following his appointment as Independent Expert on International Solidarity. You may recall that international solidarity was one of the first mandates given to the Advisory Committee.

With Mr. Okafor’s resignation, the Advisory Committee is losing a talented and active member. I am sure that you will all join me in commending his exceptional contributions to the work of the Advisory Committee, and in particular his work on the topics of international cooperation, unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and Illicit Funds. We wish him the best in his new endeavors.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we are pleased to welcome Mr. Ion Diaconu, a new expert who was elected at the 34th session of the Council to replace Ms. Laura Craciunean, who resigned following her appointment in the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, for the remainder of her mandate.

Mr. Diaconu, I am sure that the experts and the Secretariat will extend to you their full support so as to enable you to contribute efficiently to the work of the Committee.

Distinguished Experts,

As is customary, I would like to start by updating you on the work of the Human Rights Council at its 34th and 35th sessions, held in March and June 2017, respectively, in areas that are relevant to your deliberations since you last met.
I am pleased to note that the Human Rights Council mandated five new studies to be carried out by this Committee.

(34th session)
At its 34th session, the Council adopted resolution 34/8, which entrusted the Advisory Committee “to conduct a study and prepare a report on the negative effects of terrorism on the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, with a particular focus on economic, social and cultural rights.” In conducting this study, your Committee will be tasked to recommend actions to Governments, United Nations human rights mechanisms, regional and international organizations and civil society organizations, and to present the report to the Council at its 39th session, to be discussed during the interactive dialogue.

At the same session, through its resolution 34/3, the Council took note with appreciation of the progress report of the Advisory Committee on the activities of vulture funds and their impact on human rights, and requested the Committee to present a final report thereon to the Council at its 39th session for its consideration.

Finally, through its resolution 34/11 the Council  mandated this Committee to conduct a study, in continuation of the study it had requested in its resolution 31/22, on the possibility of utilizing non-repatriated illicit funds, including through monetization and/or the establishment of investment funds, while completing the necessary legal procedures, and in accordance with national priorities, with view to supporting the achievement of the Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, contributing to the enhancement of the promotion of human rights and in accordance with obligations under international human rights law, and to submit the requested study to the Council also at its  39th  session.

(35th session)
Ladies and gentlemen,

Developments relevant to your work also took place last June during the 35th session of the Council.
For example, following the recommendation in your report, the Council decided to appoint, for a period of three years, a Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members,  whose mandate will be to, inter alia, follow up and report on progress made and measures taken by States for the effective implementation of the principles and guidelines for the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members.

Also at its 35th session, the Council adopted resolution 35/32 on national policies and human rights, in which it requested this Committee to prepare a study that could help States to implement the 2030 Agenda through integrating human rights into national policies, based on the compilation prepared by the High Commissioner. This important study will be presented at the 45th  session of the Council in September 2020, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At the same session, the Human Rights Council also adopted  resolution 35/1, mandating your Committee to conduct a study on the ways in which development contributes to the enjoyment of all human rights by all and to submit the report to the 41st session of the Council in June 2019.

During its 35th session, the Council also held a panel discussion on “Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights”. As mandated by Council resolution 33/7, the objective of the panel was to identify challenges and best practices by countries of origin, transit and destination, and possible joint efforts at all levels to protect the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents. As one of the panelists, Mr. Okafor focused his presentation, prepared jointly with the Rapporteur of the Drafting Group, on the work accomplished by your Committee on this issue.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Members,

Let me now briefly turn to the upcoming 36th session of the Human Rights Council, which will take place from 11 to 29 September.

During this session, the Advisory Committee is due to present its final reports on “Unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights” and on “the impact of flow of funds of illicit origin and the non-repatriation thereof to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights”.
The Human Rights Council looks forward to the presentation of these reports as well as the interactive dialogue with you, Mr. Chairperson.

Given the Advisory Committee’s leadership on the role of local government in the promotion and protection of human rights, I am also pleased to inform you that the Council will hold an inter-sessional panel discussion on Local Government on 4 September . This panel discussion will offer an opportunity to review good practices and explore how local government could further contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. Ms. Pabel from your Committee will be one of the panelists and we look forward to an interesting discussion with her contribution.

Distinguished members,

Before closing, I wish to mention that this will be the last session for three members of this Committee: Ms. Boisson de Chazournes, Ms. Reyes Prado and Mr. Soofi. I would like to acknowledge their valuable contribution to the work of this Committee over the past three years. Their participation and high expertise have been greatly appreciated, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors in the promotion of human rights.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

This brings me to the end of these welcoming remarks. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Council’s appreciation for the work of the Advisory Committee. Your commitment to protect and promote human rights through your work and your efforts to engage with a broad range of stakeholders are very much valued.

I wish you an interesting and fruitful 19th session of the Advisory Committee.

Thank you.