HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ADOPTS SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

The Human Rights Council Advisory Committee this morning adopted seven recommendations to be transmitted to the Human Rights Council for approval on the rights of peasants, the right to food, human rights and international solidarity, the right of peoples to peace, human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking, traditional values of humankind, and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights. The Committee also adopted its report to the Human Rights Council ad referendum.

In its recommendations to the Human Rights Council, the Committee submitted to the Council the final study on the advancement of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas. On human rights and international solidarity, the Committee designated two of its members to participate in a workshop. Concerning the promotion of the right of peoples to peace, the Committee asked the Council to request the drafting group to finalize its work on the draft declaration on the right of peoples to peace. On the right to food, the Committee submitted to the Human Rights Council the study on severe malnutrition and childhood diseases with children affected by Noma as an example. The Committee also recommended that the Council ask it to complete the study on the promotion of human rights of the urban poor: strategies and best practices, and that it prepare a preliminary study on rural women and their enjoyment of the right to food.

Concerning human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking, the Committee recommended that the Human Rights Council take note of the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the progress of work on terrorist hostage-taking, and that it request the Advisory Committee to submit an interim report to the Council. On the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind, the Committee recommended that the Council request the drafting group to submit the revised preliminary study on this issue to the Advisory Committee. With regard to the enhancement of international cooperation, the Committee recommended that the Council approve the final report on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights.

All recommendations are available on the Advisory Committee’s website.

The next session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will take place from 6 to 10 August 2012.

Action on Recommendations to the Human Rights Council

Final study on the advancement of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas

In the recommendation on the rights of peasants, the Committee submits to the Human Rights Council the final study on the advancement of the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas, and asks it to consider the recommendations made in the study, in particular the creation of a new special procedures mandate and development of a new human rights instrument on the right of peasants and other people working in rural areas.

BENGOA CABELLO, Committee Expert, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.1) and said that the recommendation approved the proposal for a study on the rights of peasants and people working in rural areas. The document referred to the setting up of a new special procedures mandate in that field, and development of new human rights instruments.

The text was adopted unanimously.

Study on Severe Malnutrition and Childhood Diseases with Children Affected by Noma as an Example

In the recommendation on the right to food, the Committee submits to the Human Rights Council the study on severe malnutrition and childhood diseases with children affected by Noma as an example. The Committee also recommends that the Council welcome the preliminary study on the promotion of human rights of the urban poor: strategies and best practices, and that it assign the completion of the study to the drafting group on the right to food to be presented to the Advisory committee at its ninth session. The Committee recommended that the Council welcome the concept note for the preliminary study on rural women and the right to food and that it assign the preparation of a preliminary study on rural women and their enjoyment of the right to food to the drafting group on the right to food to be presented to the Advisory Committee at its ninth session.

BENGOA CABELLO, Committee Expert, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.2) on the right to food, said that it contained the approval of the study on severe malnutrition and childhood diseased with children affected by noma as an example. This disease was on a priority listing and the draft text envisaged seminars and meetings to deal with it and shed light on the disease which was often hidden.

The text was adopted unanimously.

Human Rights and international solidarity

In the recommendation on human rights and international solidarity, the Committee designates two of its members to participation in the workshop convened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on gender implications of international solidarity, the impact of a right to international solidarity and the role of international solidarity in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

CHEN SHIQIU, Committee Expert and Rapporteur of the Drafting Group, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.3) on Human Rights and international solidarity. The new Independent Expert participated in the discussions, during which Mr. Shiqiu said that the draft text was rather procedural. Human Rights Council resolution 19/5 had decided to organise a seminar on international solidarity. The draft recommendation decided that Advisory Committee Experts would participate in that seminar.

The text was adopted unanimously.

Progress report on the right of peoples to peace

In the recommendation on the promotion of the right of peoples to peace, the Committee asks the Council to request the drafting group to finalize its work on the draft declaration on the right of peoples to peace in the light of the discussions held by the Advisory Committee at its eighth session and to submit it to the Human Rights Council at its twentieth session.

SHIGEKI SAKAMOTO, Committee Expert and Rapporteur of the Drafting Group, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.4) on the Right to Peace. He thanked the many non-governmental organizations which had made observations and assured them that their contributions would be considered in the final draft. Mr. Sakamoto reminded the Committee that the final draft needed to be submitted to the Human Rights Council for its 20^th session in June 2012.

The text was adopted by consensus.

Human rights and Issues Related to Terrorist hostage-taking

In the recommendation on human rights and issues related to terrorist hostage-taking, the Committee decides to establish a drafting group and recommends that the Human Rights Council take note of the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the progress of work on terrorist hostage-taking, and that it request the Advisory Committee to submit an interim report to the Council at its twenty-second session, and a final report at its twenty-fourth session.

WOLFGANG STEFAN HEINZ, Committee Expert and Rapporteur of the Drafting Group,, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.5)* on terrorist hostage-taking, and spoke about recent changes made to the draft text.

Traditional values of humankind

In the recommendation on promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind, the Committee recommends that the Council take note of the comments and suggestions made during the discussions on the preliminary study prepared by Mr. Kartashkin and that it request the drafting group to submit the revised preliminary study to the Advisory Committee at its ninth session for further consideration.

VLADIMIR KARTASHKIN, Committee Expert and Rapporteur of the Drafting Group, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.6) on traditional values of humankind. The draft text had been revised to focus on more positive aspects of traditional values, and would be submitted to the Human Rights Council at a later date.

The text was adopted by consensus.

Enhancement of International Cooperation

In the recommendation on enhancement of international cooperation, the Committee recommends that the Council approve the final report on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights and submits the final report.

DHEERUJLALL SEETULSING, Committee Expert, introduced draft recommendation (A/HRC/AC/8/L.7) on enhancement of international cooperation and said that the drafting group had taken into account opinion of a number of stakeholders, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report would be presented to the Human Rights Council in its nineteenth session.

The text was adopted unanimously.

Report of the Session

The Committee then proceeded to adopt the draft report of the eighth session with a presentation of the report by the Rapporteur.

CHUNG CHINSUNG, Rapporteur, introducing the draft report (A/HRC/AC/8/8) said that the Committee had addressed a variety of interesting topics during its eighth session, with the active participation of observers, including representatives of Governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society. Tangible progress was being made on some of the requests stemming from Human Rights Council resolutions and three final reports were adopted.

The report was adopted ad referendum.
Concluding Remarks

VLADIMIR HUSEYNOV, Chairperson, said the adoption of the draft report brought the eighth session to an end. It had been a full and challenging week, but Committee members could be proud to submit to the forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council the finalized study on advancement of the rights of peasants, the finalized study on severe malnutrition and childhood diseases with children affected by noma as an example, and the final study on the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights.

ANANTONIA REYES PRADO, Committee Expert, said one achievement of the session was a greater level of trust and confidence between the members of the Committee. The Committee should strengthen its relationship with other section of the United Nations human rights system.