HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS EIGHTEENTH SESSION FROM 20 TO 24 FEBRUARY

The eighteenth session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee will take place from 20 to 24 February 2017 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

During the session, the Committee will continue its discussions on thematic studies requested by the Council, including on the elimination of discrimination against persons with leprosy and their family members (Human Rights Council resolution 29/5); the negative impact of the flow of funds of illicit origin and the non-repatriation thereof to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights (Human Rights Council resolution 31/22); unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents (Human Rights Council resolutions 29/12 and 33/7); and regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights (Human Rights Council resolution 32/115).

On Monday, 20 February at 11 a.m., the Advisory Committee will publicly open its session and adopt its agenda and programme of work; it will also discuss integrating a gender perspective in studies by the Advisory Committee. At 3 p.m., the Committee will consider the draft final report (A/HRC/AC/18/CRP.1) on the elimination of discrimination against persons with leprosy and their family members, to be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty fifth session.

On Tuesday, 21 February at 10 a.m., the Advisory Committee will consider the draft progress report prepared by the drafting group on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, taking into account the replies to the questionnaires distributed, with a view to submitting the progress report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-sixth session (A/HRC/AC/18/CRP.4).

At 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the Advisory Committee will consider the draft final report on the global issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents and human rights, to be submitted to the Council for consideration at its thirty-sixth session (A/HRC/AC/18/CRP.2).

On Wednesday 22 February, the Advisory Committee will consider the draft progress report prepared by the drafting group on the negative impact of the flow of funds of illicit origin and the non-repatriation thereof to the countries of origin on the enjoyment of human rights (A/HRC/AC/18/CRP.3), taking into account the replies to the questionnaires distributed, with a view to submitting the progress report to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-sixth session.

In the afternoon meeting of Wednesday 23, the Committee will discuss the follow-up to its reports submitted to the Human Rights Council, which will be followed by a private discussion of its methods of work.

On Thursday, 23 February, the Advisory Committee will meet in public at noon to discuss reflection papers and research proposals. The discussion may extend to the afternoon meeting.

Also on Thursday, from 5 to 6 p.m., the Advisory Committee will hold, for the first time, a discussion with 11 delegates supported by the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States (LDCs/SIDS) in the work of the Human Rights Council. The LDCs/SIDS delegates (6 women, 5 men) are coming from the following countries: Bhutan, Cabo Verde, Jamaica, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Timor Leste, Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago. Among these countries, 4 do not have permanent representation in Geneva (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga).

On Friday, 24 February, the Advisory Committee will take action on recommendations to the Human Rights Council before adopting its report and concluding its session.

Documentation relating to the eighteenth session, including the agenda and draft programme of work, can be found on the Advisory Committee’s webpage.

Background

The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). It was established in 2008, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, to provide studies and research-based advice, as requested by the Council, and meets twice annually. The Committee’s work is implementation-oriented and follows thematic issues linked to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. It interacts with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society bodies.

Membership

The membership of the Advisory Committee conforms to the following geographical distribution guidelines set out in its establishing resolution: five members each from African and Asian States; three each from Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States; and two members from Eastern European States.

Following is the list of members of the Advisory Committee and expiration dates for their respective terms of office:

Ibrahim Abdul Aziz Alsheddi (Saudi Arabia, 2018); Mohamed Bennani (Morocco, 2017); Laurence Boisson de Chazournes (France, 2017); Lazhari Bouzid (Algeria 2019); Mario Luis Coriolano (Argentina, 2018); Carla Hanania de Varela (El Salvador 2019); Mikhail Lebedev (Russian Federation, 2019); Xinsheng Liu (China 2019); Kaoru Obata (Japan, 2016); Obiora Chinedu Okafor (Nigeria, 2017); Mona Omar (Egypt 2019); Katharina Pabel (Austria, 2018); Anantonia Reyes Prado (Guatemala, 2017); Changrok Soh (Republic of Korea, 2017); Ahmer Bilal Soofi (Pakistan, 2017); Imeru Tamrat Yigezu (Ethiopia, 2018); and Jean Ziegler (Switzerland, 2019).


Programme of Work

Monday, 20 February
10 a.m. Expert member meeting (private)
11 a.m. Opening of the session, adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
Discussion on integrating a gender perspective in studies of the Advisory
Committee
3 p.m. Discussion on the elimination of discrimination against persons with leprosy

Tuesday, 21 February
10 a.m. Discussion on regional arrangements on human rights
11 a.m. Meeting with NGOs (Room XXI)
12 p.m. Discussion on regional arrangements on human rights (continued)
3 p.m. Discussion on unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents

Wednesday, 22 February
10 a.m. Discussion on the non-repatriation of illicit funds
4:30 p.m. Follow-up to reports submitted to the Human Rights Council

Thursday, 23 February
12 p.m. Discussion on reflection papers and research proposals
3 p.m. Discussion on reflection papers and research proposals (continued)
5 p.m. Discussion with LDCs/SIDS delegates

Friday, 24 February
11 a.m. Action taking by the Advisory Committee and adoption of the report
3 p.m. Action taking by the Advisory Committee and adoption of the report (continued) and
closing of the session


For use of the information media; not an official record

AC17/001E