How to access and work with the Human Rights Council and its mandates and mechanisms
5. Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference and the Intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group to follow up the work of the
Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference
The Preparatory Committee and the open-ended intergovernmental working group were established in preparation for the Review Conference. The criteria and arrangements below apply to NGO participation in the Preparatory Committee’s sessions. NGOs accredited to participate in these sessions may also participate in meetings of the open-ended
intergovernmental working group.
l NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC are invited to participate fully in all sessions of the Preparatory Committee, pursuant to ECOSOC resolution 1996/31;
l NGOs without such status that were accredited to participate in the World
Conference and its follow-up mechanisms are invited to participate fully in sessions unless a Government raises questions concerning their accreditation. If questions are raised regarding the accreditation of an NGO, the NGO is given an opportunity to
For current information on participation in the Working Group visit OHCHR’s website.
respond, with the final decision taken by the Preparatory Committee in accordance with the standard process established in resolution 1996/31;
l NGOs without consultative status that were not accredited to participate in the World Conference and its follow-up mechanisms may submit applications to participate in sessions of the Preparatory Committee to its secretariat. The secretariat reviews all applications received to ensure that they meet the requirements established in resolution 1996/31; and
l Indigenous peoples’ representatives accredited in accordance with ECOSOC resolution 1995/32 that express a willingness to participate in the Preparatory Committee’s sessions will be accredited. Other interested indigenous peoples’
representatives can also be accredited following the standard procedures established under resolution 1996/31.
NGOs attending sessions of the Preparatory Committee and the open-ended
intergovernmental working group have the opportunity to make oral statements and may submit written statements.
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and those accredited to participate in the World Conference and its follow-up mechanisms, including the Preparatory Committee, may also participate in the Review Conference.55
NGOs without such status that were not accredited to participate in the World Conference and its follow-up mechanisms were invited to submit applications to participate in the Review Conference.
55See “Report of the Human Rights Council on the preparations for the Durban Review Conference:
Report of the Preparatory Committee on its first session” (A/62/375, rule 66).
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OHCHR resources
Human Rights Council’s web page
Civil society actors should regularly consult the Human Rights Council’s homepage for updates and information on participating in its sessions. Session-specific information is normally posted on the website two weeks before each regular session.
Extranet
TheExtranetis linked to the Human Rights Council’s homepage. It contains:
l The Human Rights Council’s draft resolutions and decisions;
l Informal written contributions by States and other stakeholders; and
l Oral statements made by member States, observer States, and NGOs and other participants at the Human Rights Council’s regular and special sessions and organizational meetings.
The Extranet also has an NGO Liaison information page with regularly updated session-specific information.
Webcast
Public meetings of the Human Rights Council and some of its mechanisms can be viewed live on its webcast. The webcast site also contains archived video of its previous meetings.
To view the webcast you will need to download the appropriate software.
To access the password-protected Extranet page, fill in the online form available from the Human Rights Council page of OHCHR’s website.
When you have done this you will receive a username and password by e-mail.
The webcast service is available from the Human Rights Council page of OHCHR’s website.
HUMANRIGHTSCOUNCIL Universal periodic review Working Grouponthe UPR
Complaint Procedure Working Groupon Communi- cations
Special procedures Country mandates Thematic mandates
Working Groups Open-ended Working Grouponthe Rightto Development Social ForumForumon Minority Issues
Expert Mechanism onthe Rightsof Indigenous Peoples Mechanisms relatedto the Durban Declaration and Programmeof Action
Human Rights Council Advisory Committee WorkingGroup onSituations
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Annex:AccessingandworkingwiththeHumanRightsCouncilanditsmandatesandmechanisms MEETING/MECHANISMWhichcivilsocietyactors (CSAs)canattendmeetings ofthemechanism?
HowcantheseCSAs participateinmeetingsthey attend?
WhichCSAscancontribute totheworkofthe mechanism(otherthanby attendingmeetings)?
Whatformscanthese contributionstake? HumanRightsCouncil's regularandspecialsessionsNGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC,once accredited
lSubmissionofwritten statements lOralstatements lHostingofparallelevents OnlyNGOsinconsultative statuswithECOSOCcan submitwrittenstatementsto regular/specialsessions
NGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOCshould consulttheguidelinesfor writtenstatements UniversalperiodicreviewNGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC,once accredited
lHostingofinformation sessions lBriefgeneralcomments canbemadebeforethe adoptionofoutcome documentsatregular sessionsoftheHuman RightsCouncil
RelevantCSAslWorkingwith Governmentstowards thepreparationof nationalreports lContributing stakeholders’ submissionsforpotential inclusionintheOHCHR summary lWorkonfollow-upto UPRoutcomes (conclusions, recommendations, voluntary pledges/commitments) HumanRightsCouncil AdvisoryCommitteeNGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC,once accredited
lSubmissionofwritten statements lOralstatements
RelevantCSAslNominatingcandidates forappointmenttothe AdvisoryCommittee ComplaintprocedureCSAscannotparticipatein meetingsofthecomplaint procedureoritsworking groups;thesemeetingsare private
N/ARelevantCSAslSubmissionof complaintsunderthe complaintprocedure
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MEETING/MECHANISMWhichcivilsocietyactors (CSAs)canattendmeetings ofthemechanism? 8
HowcantheseCSAs participateinmeetingsthey attend?
WhichCSAscancontribute totheworkofthe mechanism(otherthanby attendingmeetings)?
Whatformscanthese contributionstake? SpecialproceduresNGOsandotherCSAsmay arrangetomeetwith mandate-holdersduring selectsegmentsofthe annualmeetingofspecial procedures
lInteractivedialoguewith mandate-holdersduring selectsegmentsofthe annualmeetingof specialprocedures lNGOsinconsultative statuswithECOSOCcan participateininteractive dialogueswith mandate-holdersat regularsessionsofthe HumanRightsCouncil
RelevantCSAslSubmissionofurgent appeals/individualcases lProvidingsupportfor countryvisits lWorkingtoadvocate, disseminate,followup andimplementthework ofthespecialprocedures lMeetingwith mandate-holders lNominatingcandidates asmandate-holders Open-endedWorkingGroup ontheRightto Development
NGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC,once accredited,canattend publicsegmentsofthe WorkingGroup’smeetings AwiderangeofCSAscan attendpublicsessionsofthe high-leveltaskforce NGOsattendingmeetingsof thehigh-leveltaskforce havetheopportunityto makeopeningstatements. Thisopportunitydoesnot apply,however,tothe WorkingGroup’smeetings.
RelevantCSAslSubmissionof statementstothe WorkingGroup lEngagementwiththe taskforce lWorkingtoimplement WorkingGroup recommendations SocialForumAwiderangeofCSAscan attendmeetingslProvidingfeedbackon thehumanrightsworkof international mechanismsatmeetings lExchangingbest practicesatmeetings lGrass-rootspresentations atmeetings RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationtotheSocial Forum
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MEETING/MECHANISMWhichcivilsocietyactors (CSAs)canattendmeetings ofthemechanism? 8
HowcantheseCSAs participateinmeetingsthey attend?
WhichCSAscancontribute totheworkofthe mechanism(otherthanby attendingmeetings)?
Whatformscanthese contributionstake? ForumonMinorityIssuesAwiderangeofCSAs, includingNGOs,academics andexpertsonminority issues
lOral presentations/statements lWrittenstatements
RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationtotheForum lNGOsinconsultative statuswithECOSOCcan nominatecandidatesfor appointmentas chairpersonoftheForum ExpertMechanismonthe RightsofIndigenous Peoples
AwiderangeofCSAs, includingNGOsand indigenouspeoplesand organizations
lOral presentations/statements lWrittenstatements
RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationtotheExpert Mechanism lNominationof candidatesfor appointmentas independentexperts IntergovernmentalWorking GroupontheEffective Implementationofthe DurbanDeclarationand ProgrammeofAction
NGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC NGOsaccreditedtothe DurbanWorldConference
lOralpresentations lWrittenstatements OnlyCSAsfallingintothe categoriesprovidedatleft maycontributeinformation totheIntergovernmental WorkingGroup
lSubmissionof informationtothe WorkingGroup Groupofindependent eminentexpertsMeetingsare,inprinciple, closed.However,theGroup mayinviteCSAsto exchangeviewswithit
lExchangeofviewsatthe invitationoftheGroup RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationtotheGroup
MEETING/MECHANISMWhichcivilsocietyactors (CSAs)canattendmeetings ofthemechanism?
HowcantheseCSAs participateinmeetingsthey attend?
WhichCSAscancontribute totheworkofthe mechanism(otherthanby attendingmeetings)?
Whatformscanthese contributionstake? WorkingGroupofExperts onPeopleofAfrican Descent
NGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC NGOsaccreditedtothe DurbanWorldConference
lOralpresentations lSubmissionsofwritten statements
RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationtothe WorkingGroup lProvidinginformationin situduringcountry missionsoftheWorking Group lMeetingwithits membersduringcountry visits PreparatoryCommitteefor theDurbanReview Conference Intersessionalopen-ended intergovernmentalworking grouptofollowupthework ofthePreparatory CommitteefortheDurban ReviewConference
lNGOsinconsultative statuswithECOSOC lNGOsaccreditedtothe DurbanWorld Conference lNGOs(without consultativestatusand thatdidnotattendthe WorldConference)can submitapplicationsto participate lIndigenouspeoples’ representatives
lOralstatements lSubmissionofwritten statements
OnlyCSAsfallingintothe categoriesprovidedtothe leftmaycontribute informationtothe PreparatoryCommitteeand theIntersessional open-endedworkinggroup
lSubmissionofwritten statementstothe PreparatoryCommittee andtheIntersessional open-endedworking group AdHocCommitteeonthe elaborationof complementarystandards
NGOsinconsultativestatus withECOSOC NGOsaccreditedtothe DurbanWorldConference
lOralpresentations lSubmissionofwritten statements RelevantCSAslSubmissionof informationandstudies totheAdHocCommittee
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The Handbook is available in digital format on the OHCHR website at:
http://www.ohchr.org/civilsocietyhandbook/
There you will find the Handbook’s chapters available for download, as well as links to all the references contained in the publication.
Special procedures at a glance
What are they?
“Special procedures”is the general name given to the mechanisms
established by the
Commission on Human Rightsand assumed by the Human Rights Councilto examine, monitor, advise and publicly report on human rights situations in specific countries or territories (country mandates), or on major phenomena of human rights violations worldwide (thematic mandates). By September 2008 there were 38 special procedures (30 thematic mandates and 8 country mandates) in operation.
Persons appointed to the special procedures are independent experts
(mandate-holders) and may be known as special rapporteurs,
TheOffice of the United Nations High support them in their mandates.
How do they work?
The special procedures:
l Interact daily with actual and potential victims of human rights violations and advocate the
protection of their rights;
l Act upon human rights concerns either in individual cases or on more general issues and issue reports with recommendations;
l Prepare thematic studies that serve as a guide on norms and standards; and
l Raise public awareness through the media on issues within their mandates.
l Unlike United Nations treaty bodies, special procedures can be activated even where a State has not ratified the relevant instrument or treaty, and it is not necessary to have exhausted domestic
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Contacting special procedures mandate-holders E-mail:SPDInfo@ohchr.org(for general inquiries and information)
urgent-action@ohchr.org (for individual cases/complaints only) Fax: +41 (0)22 917 90 06
Post: Quick Response Desk
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais des Nations
8–14, avenue de la Paix
CH–1211 Geneva 10 - Switzerland
Civil society actors should indicate in the subject line of the e-mail or fax, or on the cover of the envelope, which special procedure(s) they wish to contact.
As the contact address is the same for all special procedures, a clear indication of the main subject or purpose of the correspondence will allow for a more timely response.
It is essential to also indicate whether the correspondence is aimed at submitting broad information, an individual complaint, or whether it is another type of request (e.g., invitation to attend a conference, request for a meeting with the mandate-holders and/or their assistants).
remedies to access the special procedures.
How to access and work with the special
procedures
Civil society actors, individually or
collectively, may access and work with the special procedures.They and analysis on specific human rights concerns;
l Providing support for special procedures’
country visits;
l Working locally or nationally to advocate, disseminate, follow up and implement the work of special procedures;
l Inviting special procedures
mandate-holders to participate in their own initiatives; and
l Meeting individual mandate-holders
throughout the year and participating in the annual meeting of special procedures mandate-holders.
Civil society actors can also nominate candidates as special procedures mandate-holders.