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Human Rights Council
7 September 2007
The Human Rights Council will hold the first part of its
sixth session from 10 to 28 September at the Palais des Nations to discuss
issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights around the
world. The Council will also continue with its institution-building process,
including choosing the first group of countries to undergo the Universal
Periodic Review and assessing mandates of Special Procedures. The second part
of the session will be held from 10 to 14 December.
At the beginning of the session, the Council will take up
organizational, procedural and other matters in open-ended informal
consultations before starting its substantive work.
The Council is expected to hear presentations of the
report of the open-ended Working Group on an Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (A/HRC/6/8);
the report the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Asma
Jahangir on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination
based on religion and belief (A/HRC/6/5); the report of the Independent
Expert on human rights and international solidarity Rudi Muhammad Rizki on
the interrelation of human rights and human rights thematic issues
(A/HRC/4/8); the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance
Doudou Dične on all manifestations of defamation of religions and in
particular on the serious implications of Islamophobia on the enjoyment of
all rights (A/HRC/6/6); and the report of the Independent Expert on the
situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Titinga
Frederic Pacere (A/HRC/4/7).
An important part of the work of the Council during this
session will be assessing the mandates of its Special Procedures. The Council
is scheduled to discuss the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of
religion and belief, the Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special
Rapporteur on the right to food, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of
indigenous peoples, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in Sudan and the Independent Experts on the situation of human rights in
Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti. This assessment
process will continue in the second part of the session.
The Council is also scheduled to discuss guidelines for
the Universal Periodic Review and select the countries to be evaluated by the
Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review in 2008. It will follow-up on
human rights situations that require its attention, including by hearing an
update from the Group of Experts on the situation of human rights in Darfur
and an update from the President of the Council and the High Commissioner for
Human Rights on human rights violations and implications of the Israeli
occupation of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. An oral
presentation shall be made by the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee
for the Durban Review Conference.
In resolution 60/251 which created the Council, the
General Assembly decided that the Council should undertake a Universal Periodic
Review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by
each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which
ensured universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all
States. The resolution said the review should be a cooperative mechanism,
based on an interactive dialogue, with the full involvement of the country
concerned and with consideration given to its capacity-building needs.
In resolution 60/251, the General Assembly also decided that
the Council should assume, review and, where necessary, improve and
rationalize all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the
Commission on Human Rights in order to maintain a system of Special
Procedures, Expert Advice and a Complaints Procedure. The Special Procedures
include the Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts, Working Groups and
other bodies.
Composition of the Human Rights Council
The composition of the Council at the sixth session is the
following. The term of membership of each State expires in the year indicated
in brackets: Angola (2010); Azerbaijan (2009); Bangladesh (2009); Bolivia
(2010); Bosnia and Herzegovina (2010); Brazil (2008); Cameroon (2009); Canada
(2009); China (2009); Cuba (2009); Djibouti (2009); Egypt (2010); France
(2008); Gabon (2008); Germany (2009); Ghana (2008); Guatemala (2008); India
(2010); Indonesia (2010); Italy (2010); Japan (2008); Jordan (2009);
Madagascar (2010); Malaysia (2009); Mali (2008); Mauritius (2009); Mexico
(2009); Netherlands (2010); Nicaragua (2010); Nigeria (2009); Pakistan
(2008); Peru (2008); Philippines (2010); Qatar (2010); Republic of Korea
(2008); Romania (2008); Russian Federation (2009); Saudi Arabia (2009);
Senegal (2009); Slovenia (2010); South Africa (2010); Sri Lanka (2008);
Switzerland (2009); Ukraine (2008); United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland (2008); Uruguay (2009); Zambia (2008).
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