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UNITED NATIONS

Press Release

 

 

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HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE DISCUSSES HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN

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6 August 2008



The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee this morning discussed the human rights of women and a request from the Human Rights Council for the Committee to implement a gender perspective in the issues on their agenda.

Pierre Sob of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) gave a brief overview of the OHCHR Women's Rights and Gender Unit's seven focus areas on human rights of women: gender sensitive administration of justice; piloting an integrated gender strategy for country engagement; gender mainstreaming in the work of the Human Rights Council; responses to sexual exploitation and abuse within the UN system; mainstreaming gender and women's human rights in OHHCR and with UN system partners; mainstreaming and protecting the rights of perceived sexual minorities, trans gender and intersex persons; and health and reproductive rights.

Experts noted that there seemed to be no request to the Committee to prepare a separate study, but only that the issue of women had to be included regularly in all issues discussed. One Expert warned that the Committee had to be action oriented and not simply mentioning gender mainstreaming in all issues. An Expert asked the Secretariat if there was a model approach regarding the integration of a gender perspective in a study.

Speaking on the issue of human rights of women were the following Experts of the Advisory Committee: Emmanuel Decaux, Wolfgang Stefan Heinz, Halima Embarek Warzazi, Shigeki Sakamoto and Mona Zulficar.

Speaking as the main sponsor of the Human Rights Council resolution, Mexico said that the mandate was very general and it did not request any specific work or action. For Mexico, it was important that the Advisory Committee include a gender equality methodology in all the work it carried out.

The International Federation of University Women also spoke about the human rights of women.

 

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Human Rights Council Advisory Committee

Establishment

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (hereinafter “the Advisory Committee”), composed of 18 experts, has been established to function as a think-tank for the Council and work at its direction. The Advisory Committee replaces the former Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The aim of the nomination procedure of the Committee members, including the technical and objective requirements contained in Council decision 6/102, is to ensure that the best possible expertise is made available to the Council. The function of the Advisory Committee is to provide expertise in the manner and form requested by the Council, focusing mainly on studies and research-based advice. Such expertise shall be rendered only upon the latter’s request, in compliance with its resolutions and under its guidance.

The Advisory Committee should be implementation-oriented. The scope of its advice should be limited to thematic issues pertaining to the mandate of the Council; namely promotion and protection of all human rights. The Committee shall not 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.

In the performance of its mandate, the Advisory Committee is urged to establish interaction with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society entities in accordance with the modalities of the Council. Member States and observers, including States that are not members of the Council, the specialized agencies, other intergovernmental organizations and national human rights institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations shall be entitled to participate in the work of the Advisory Committee based on arrangements, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights and the Council, while ensuring the most effective contribution of these entities.

The Advisory Committee shall convene up to two sessions for a maximum of 10 working days per year. The inaugural session will be held from 4 to 15 August 2008 at the Palais des Nations, United Nations Office at Geneva.

Background information on the former Sub-Commission:

The United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the main subsidiary body of the former Commission on Human Rights, was established in 1947. Originally the 'Sub Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities', it was renamed in 1999. In 2006, the membership consisted of 26 experts: seven from Africa, five from Asia, five from Latin America, three from Eastern Europe and six from Western European and other States.

The Sub-Commission's main functions were to undertake studies on human rights issues, to make recommendations concerning the prevention of discrimination of any kind and the protection of minorities. Studies undertaken addressed various aspects of the realization of human rights, the administration of justice, combating discrimination and protecting the human rights of minorities, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.





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