Human Rights Council Advisory Committee
11 August 2011

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee today discussed its agenda item on the annual programme of work, including new priorities.
Latif Hüseynov, Advisory Committee Chairperson, said that this morning the Advisory Committee met in private to identify further research proposals for suggestion to the Council as it had been encouraged, in a previous meeting with the bureau of the Human Rights Council, to submit a memorandum containing research proposals for the Council’s approval. The research topics should be contemporary, with an urgent need, where there was no duplication with other mechanisms in the United Nations and with sufficient resources to address the topic.

Committee Experts suggested the following topics: racism and xenophobia, specifically on the links between racism, globalization and new technologies; the question of discrimination, minorities and globalization; and youth, both in the third and first world, in connection to marginalization and discrimination, including the incorporation of the voices of the youth into the research agenda. Other research suggestions included mass demonstrations and internal disturbances and the challenges they posed for States and human rights; the rights of non-citizens; human rights and the fight against corruption; the impact of the Internet and social networks on human rights; the relationship between famine, serious malnutrition and market speculation on food prices; the issue of transitional justice during the change from autocratic to democratic systems; the impact of market laws on human rights, notably foreign debt and other financial commitments of States; the treatment of persons with disabilities who were deprived of their liberty; and video surveillance used by both private and public entities and the link to human rights.

The following Committee members took the floor: Latif Hüseynov, Vladimir Kartashkin, Wolfgang Stefan Heinz, Obiora Chinedu Okafor, Dheerujlall Seetulsing, Mona Zulficar, Anantonia Reyes Prado, Halima Embarek Warzazi, Chung Chinsung, Jean Ziegler, José Antonio Bengoa Cabello and Laurence Boisson de Chazournes.

The next public meeting of the Advisory Committee will be held on Friday, 12 August at 10 a.m., when it is scheduled to adopt its report including recommendations to the Human Rights Council.

Implementation of sections III and IV of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, agenda and annual programme of work, including new priorities

LATIF HUSEYNOV, Chairperson of the Advisory Committee, said that this morning the Committee met in private to identify further research proposals for suggestion to the Council. Members of the Advisory Committee were encouraged, in a previous meeting with the bureau of the Human Rights Council, to submit a memorandum containing research proposals for the Council’s approval. The following criteria for research should include that the topic was contemporary, there was an urgent need, there would be no duplication with other mechanisms in the United Nations and sufficient resources would be provided to address the topic.

JOSE ANTONIO BENGOA CABELLO, Committee Expert, said the Advisory Committee was in agreement that it should make its own proposals, in the form of a memorandum, with suggestions for research on human rights issues. Mr. Bengoa said the Committee must have a stronger and broader mandate to deal with issues of significance and recommended a new interpretation of the age old pillars on human rights work. For example, the issue of minorities was an area that should be reviewed because the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities had taken place before the advent of globalization and the end of the isolation of indigenous people. Mr. Bengoa suggested three main issues of importance today: racism and xenophobia, specifically on the links between racism, globalization and new technologies; the question of discrimination, minorities and globalization; and youth, both in the third and first world, in connection to marginalization and discrimination, including the incorporation of the voices of the youth into the research agenda.

WOLFGANG STEFAN HEINZ, Committee Expert, proposed research into mass demonstrations and internal disturbances and the challenges they posed for States and human rights. The intention would be to consider recent experiences in different countries with an analytical diagnostic to identify problem areas and best practices.

VLADIMIR KARTASHKIN, Committee Expert, said the topic of the rights of non-citizens was of critical importance as a result of globalization. The category of non-citizens included minorities, migrants and foreigners. In the United Nations, there was no document that declared the rights of non-citizens who were a category subject to discrimination in the countries where they moved.

LAURENCE BOISSON DE CHAZOURNES, Committee Expert, said she supported the proposal by Mr. Kartashkin on the human rights of non-citizens. Another area for work would be the fighting of corruption and the international situation today. There was an important United Nations Convention against Corruption and the Advisory Council could support its work by considering the human rights to be assured in fighting corruption.

HALIMA EMBAREK WARZAZI, Committee Expert, proposed a study on the impact of the Internet and social networks on human rights.

JEAN ZIEGLER, Committee Expert, said the Advisory Committee needed to consider its relationship with the Special Rapporteurs and how they could compliment their work. The Advisory Council was a think-tank, conducting in-depth analytical work as compared to the Special Rapporteur who informed the Council of human rights violations. Mr. Ziegler proposed a study on the relationship between famine, serious malnutrition and market speculation on prices with the outcome leading to a resolution that speculation on prices of basic foods was a violation of the right to food.

CHUNG CHINSUNG, Committee Expert, proposed the issue of transitional justice during regime change from autocratic to democratic systems. There were considerable human rights issues surrounding fact finding, punishment and reparation to victims.

ANANTONIA REYES PRADO, Committee Expert, proposed considering the impact of market laws on human rights, notably foreign debt and other financial commitments of States. There were financial organizations that were legislating which had an impact on economic, social and political rights.

MONA ZULFICAR, Committee Expert, said she supported the research proposal on youth in terms of discrimination and an examination of the origins of their frustration in their quest for freedom, democracy and human dignity. Ms. Zulficar also supported research on transnational justice which would be helpful for many countries in the Arab world.

OBIORA CHINEDU OKAFOR, Committee Expert, said he strongly supported the proposal on youth, the draft declaration on non-citizens, access to justice for the poor and on internal disturbances. Ms. Okafor noted that the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights was one of the first charters to include the right to peace.

DHEERUJLALL SEETUSLING, Committee Expert, said the Advisory Committee should deal with specific aspects of subjects in order to narrow them down and suggested working with Member States to gain support for research proposals.

LATIF HUSEYNOV, Chairperson of the Advisory Committee, said that two other research proposals were suggested, the treatment of persons with disabilities deprived of their liberty and video surveillance used by both private and public entities and the link to human rights.

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