Human Rights Council Advisory Committee to hold seventh session in Geneva from 8 to 12 August 2011

BACKGROUND RELEASE

4 August 2011

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will hold its seventh session from 8 to 12 August 2011 in Room XX of the Palais des Nations.

The Committee, which is composed of 18 independent experts who serve as a think tank to the Human Rights Council, will further its work in relation to requests addressed to it by the Council, including the preparation of a draft declaration on the right of peoples to peace and a follow-up report on the study of discrimination in the context of the right to food. The Committee will also begin work on a study on how a better understanding and appreciation of traditional values of dignity, freedom and responsibility could contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights. The Committee will also review a progress report from its drafting group tasked with exploring ways and means of enhancing international cooperation in the field of human rights.

On Monday, 8 August, the Advisory Committee will publicly open its seventh session at 12 p.m. with the election of officers. In the afternoon it will adopt its agenda and then it will begin a discussion on the right of peoples to peace. At its fourteenth session, the Human Rights Council took note with satisfaction of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the outcome of the workshop on the right of peoples to peace, and requested the Advisory Committee, in consultation with Member States, civil society, academia and all relevant stakeholders, to prepare a draft declaration on the right of peoples to peace, and to report on the progress thereon to the Council at its seventeenth session. At its present session, the Advisory Committee will have before it a progress report submitted by the drafting group entrusted to work on the issue.

On Tuesday afternoon, 9 August, the Advisory Committee will discuss its on-going work on the subject of discrimination in the context of the right to food. In this regard, at its sixteenth session the Human Rights Council took note of the Committee’s preliminary study on ways and means to further advance the right to food of people working in rural areas, including women, in particular smallholders engaged in the production of food and/or other agricultural products, including from directly working the land, traditional fishing, hunting and herding activities. It also requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to collect the views and comments of all Member States, all relevant United Nations special agencies and programmes, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and all other relevant stakeholders on the preliminary study, in order that the Advisory Committee may take them into account in the preparation of the final study to be presented to the Council at its nineteenth session.

On Wednesday morning, 10 August, the Committee will discuss the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind. At its sixteenth session, the Human Rights Council requested the Advisory Committee to prepare a study on how a better understanding and appreciation of traditional values of dignity, freedom and responsibility could contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights, and to present that study to the Council before its twenty-first session.

On Wednesday afternoon the Committee will turn its attention to the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights. At its thirteenth session, the Human Rights Council requested the Advisory Committee to explore ways and means to enhance cooperation in the field of human rights, taking into account the views contained in the report of the High Commissioner on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, and to submit proposals thereon to the Council at its nineteenth session. At its fifth session, the Advisory Committee designated members of a drafting group to undertake preparatory work on the issue for consideration by the Advisory Committee and during this session the Committee will have before it the progress report of the drafting group.

On Thursday afternoon, 11 August, the Advisory Committee will focus on its agenda and annual programme of work, including new priorities. On Friday, 12 August, it will adopt its session report, including recommendations to the Human Rights Council, and conclude its seventh 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 the session’s annotated agenda and draft programme of work, are posted on the Advisory Committee’s webpage (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/advisorycommittee.htm).

Membership

The membership of the Advisory Committee has to conform 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.

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 expiration dates for their respective terms of office: Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann (Nicaragua – 2012); Mr. José Antonio Bengoa Cabello (Chile - 2013); Mr. Laurence Boisson de Chazournes (France – 2014); Mr. Shiqiu Chen (China - 2012); Ms. Chinsung Chung (Republic of Korea - 2013); Mr. Wolfgang Stefan Heinz (Germany - 2013); Mr. Latif Hüseynov (Azerbaijan - 2014); Mr. Alfred Ntunduguru Karokora (Uganda – 2013); Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (Russian Federation - 2013); Mr. Obiora Chinedu Okafor (Nigeria – 2014); Ms. Purificacion V. Quisumbing (Philippines - 2014); Ms. Anantonia Reyes Prado (Guatemala – 2013); Mr. Shigeki Sakamoto (Japan - 2013); Mr. Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius - 2014); Mr. Ahmer Bilal Soofi (Pakistan – 2014); Ms. Halima Embarek Warzazi (Morocco - 2012); Mr. Jean Ziegler (Switzerland - 2012); and Ms. Mona Zulficar (Egypt - 2013).

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For use of the information media; not an official record