United Nations

HR/CN/1106
11 March 2005

Background Release

Commission on Human Rights to Hold Sixty-First Session at Palais des Nations from 14 March to 22 April 2005

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 10 March (UN Information Service) -- The principal human rights organ of the United Nations, the Commission on Human Rights, will conduct its annual six-week session for 2005 from 14 March to 22 April.

The Commission, which was created in 1946 and is made up of 53 Member States, will begin its session at the Palais des Nations with a three-and-a-half-day “high-level segment” featuring speeches by government officials of elevated rank and by heads of various United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations.

It will then work its way through an agenda covering such topics as the right of peoples to self-determination; racism and all forms of discrimination; the question of the violation of human rights around the world; economic, social and cultural rights; civil and political rights; issues relating to women, children, migrants, minorities and indigenous peoples; and the promotion and protection of human rights.

Under various agenda items, the Commission will consider the situation of human rights in Colombia, the Sudan (including Darfur), Iraq, occupied Palestine, the occupied Syrian Golan, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Belarus, Myanmar, Cyprus, Cambodia, Somalia, Burundi, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Haiti, Nepal and Timor-Leste.

Trends and themes in the field of human rights deemed pressing enough to warrant the appointment of Special Rapporteurs, Special Representatives, Independent Experts, or Working Groups also will be reviewed.  Reports will be presented, among other things, on combating defamation of religions; the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action; contemporary forms of racism; women’s ownership of property and adequate housing; the effects of structural adjustment policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights; the right to food; cultural rights; the effects of unilateral coercive measures, poverty, and globalization on human rights; arbitrary detention; torture; arbitrary executions; freedom of expression; the independence of the judiciary; trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and the rights of children, migrants, internally displaced persons and indigenous peoples.

In addition, as in previous years, the Commission will consider particular situations of alleged violations of human rights in specific countries in closed meetings under what is called the “1503 procedure”.

The Commission on Human Rights in January elected Makarim Wibisono of Indonesia as Chairperson of the sixty-first session. Hernán Escudero Martínez (Ecuador), Mohamed Saleck Ould Mohamed Lemine (Mauritania) and Anatoliy Zlenko (Ukraine), were elected as Vice-Chairpersons and Deirdre Kent (Canada) was elected Rapporteur.

Questions to Be Examined

Specific Country Situations Concerning Human Rights

Under its agenda item on the organization of work of the session, the Commission will remain actively seized with the grave situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. It will have before it the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Colombia (E/CN.4/2005/10). It will also have before it the report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Sudan, Emmanuel Akwei Addo (E/CN.4/2005/11) who was appointed in July 2004 on a one-year mandate.

Under its agenda item on the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Commission will have before it the reports of the former Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, on the situation of human rights in the Darfur region of Sudan (E/CN.4/2005/3), and on the present situation of human rights in Iraq (E/CN.4/2005/4).

Under its agenda item on the right of peoples to self-determination, the Commission will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in occupied Palestine (ECN.4/2005/13).

Under its agenda item on the question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine, the Commission will have before it the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan (E/CN.4/2005/26). It will also have before it the report of John Dugard, the Special Rapporteur on the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine (E/CN.4/2005/29 and Add.1) and the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/2005/28).

Under its agenda item on the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world, the Commission will have before it the report of the Personal Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Christine Chanet, on the situation of human rights in Cuba (E/CN.4/2005/33). It will also have before it the report of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (E/CN.4/2005/32) and the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in that country, Vitit Muntarbhorn (E/CN.4/2005/34).

Reports by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Adrian Severin (E/CN.4/2005/35); by the Secretary-General on cooperation with representatives of United Nations human rights bodies (E/CN.4/2005/31 and Add.1); by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (E/CN.4/2005/36); and by the Secretary-General on the question of human rights in Cyprus (E/CN.4/2005/30) will also be considered.

Under its 1503 Procedure, the Commission will deal confidentially with situations of alleged violations of human rights in particular countries. Following established practice, the Chairperson of the Commission will announce in a public meeting the countries that have been examined under the procedure, as well as the countries no longer being dealt with under it.

Under its agenda item on advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights, the Commission will consider the report of Peter Leuprecht, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on technical cooperation and advisory services in Cambodia (E/CN.4/2005/116); the report of Ghanim Alnajjar, the Independent Expert on assistance to Somalia in the field of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/117); the report of Akich Okola, the Independent Expert on advisory services and technical cooperation in Burundi (E/CN.4/2005/118); the report of Charlotte Abaka, the Independent Expert on technical cooperation and advisory services in Liberia (E/CN.4/2005/119); the report of Titinga Frederic Pacere, the Independent Expert on technical cooperation and advisory services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (E/CN.4/2005/120); the report of Monica Pinto, the Independent Expert on technical cooperation and advisory services in Chad (E/CN.4/2005/121); the report of the High Commissioner on assistance to Sierra Leone in the field of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/113); the report of Cherif Bassiouni, the Independent Expert on technical cooperation in the field of human rights in Afghanistan (E/CN.4/2005/122); the report of Louis Joinet, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti (E/CN.4/2005/123); the progress report of the Office of the High Commissioner on human rights assistance to Nepal (E/CN.4/2005/114); and the report of the High Commissioner on technical cooperation and advisory services in Timor-Leste (E/CN.4/2005/115).

Report of High Commissioner for Human Rights

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the annual report of the High Commissioner (E/CN.4/2005/12).

Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and All Forms of Discrimination

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the report of the High Commissioner on combating defamation of religions (E/CN.4/2005/15) and the progress report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Doudou Diene, on the situation of Muslim and Arab peoples in various parts of the world in the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001 (E/CN.4/2005/19).

Concerning the World Conference against Racism, the Commission will have before it the progress report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of relevant recommendations of the second session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (E/CN.4/2005/16), a note by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the possibility of the development of a racial equality index (E/CN.4/2005/17), the report of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (E/CN.4/2005/20), the report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (E/CN.4/2005/21), and a note by the Secretariat transmitting the recommendations adopted by the independent Eminent Experts on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (E/CN.4/2005/125). The Commission will also have before it a note by the Secretariat transmitting the report of the regional workshop for the Latin American and Caribbean region, held in Brazil on 1-2 December 2004 (E/CN.4/2005/22).

The Commission will also have before it the reports of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Doudou Diene (E/CN.4/2005/18 and Add. 1-6).

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Under this agenda item, the Commission will consider:

-- The report of Okechukwu Ibeanu, the Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the illicit movement of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/45 and Add. 1); and a note from the secretariat transmitting the report of the former Special Rapporteur, Fatma Zohra Ouhachi-Vesely, on her mission to Turkey (E/CN.4/2005/44);

-- A consolidated document which includes the analytical report of the Independent Expert on the effects of structural adjustment policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of human rights, Bernards Andrew Nyamwaya Mudho, and his report containing preliminary draft general guidelines to be followed by States and by private and public, national and international financial institutions in the decision-making and execution of debt repayments and structural reform programmes (E/CN.4/2005/42 and Add. 1);

-- The report of Jean Ziegler, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food (E/CN.4/2005/47 and Add. 1-2);

-- The report of the High Commissioner on the establishing a thematic procedure to implement the promotion of the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for different cultural identities (E/CN.4/2005/40);

-- The reports of Miloon Kothari, the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing, on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living (E/CN.4/2005/48 and Add. 1-3) and on women’s equal ownership to property and adequate housing (E/CN.4/2005/43);

-- The report of the Secretary-General on human rights and unilateral coercive measures (E/CN.4/2005/37);

-- The report of Arjun Sengupta, the Independent Expert on human rights and extreme poverty (E/CN.4/2005/49);

-- The comprehensive analytical study of the High Commissioner on globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/41);

-- The report of Vernor Munoz Villalobos, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education (E/CN.4/2005/50);

-- The report of the Secretary-General on access to medication in the context of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (E/CN.4/2005/38);

-- The report of Paul Hunt, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (E/CN.4/2005/51 and Add. 1-4); and

-- The report of the Working Group on options regarding the elaboration of an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/CN.4/2005/52); and the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/2005/39).

Civil and Political Rights

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it:

-- The report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights and forensic science (E/CN.4/2005/56);

-- The report of the Office on the conclusions of the expert seminar on the interdependence between democracy and human rights (E/CN.4/2005/58) and the report of the Office on the same subject (E/CN.4/2005/57);

-- The report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on enhancing the role of regional, sub-regional and other organizations and arrangements in promoting and consolidating democracy (E/CN.4/2005/127);

-- The note by the Secretariat (E/CN.4/2005/67) transmitting to the Commission the final report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and terrorism, Kalliopi Koufa, submitted to the fifty-sixth session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights(E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/40);

-- The report of the Working Group on arbitrary detention (E/CN.4/2005/6 and Add.1-4);

-- The report of the former Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Theo C. van Boven (E/CN.4/2005/62 and Add.1-2).  A study on the policy to control the trade, production and proliferation of torture technology is included in that document;

-- The report of the Secretary-General on the operations of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (E/CN.4/2005/54 and Add.1), and a note by the Secretariat transmitting the final evaluation report on the function of the Fund (E/CN.4/2005/55);

-- The annual report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (E/CN.4/2005/53);

-- The report of Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (E/CN.4/2005/7 and Add.1-2);

-- The report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (E/CN.4/2005/65 and Add.1);

-- The report of the Working Group on a draft legally binding normative instrument for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance (E/CN.4/2005/66);

-- The report of Ambeyi Ligabo, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression (E/CN.4/2005/64 and Add.1-5);

-- The report of Leandro Despouy, the Special Rapporteur on the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, jurors and assessors and the independence of lawyers (E/CN.4/2005/60 and Add.1-4);

-- The note of the High Commissioner on the third consultative meeting on the revised version of the basic principles and guidelines on the right to reparation for victims of [gross] violations of human rights and international humanitarian law (E/CN.4/2005/59); and

-- The report of Asma Jahangir, the Special Rapporteur on the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance (E/CN.4/2005/61 and Add.1).

Integration of the Human Rights of Women and a Gender Perspective

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the updated report of the Secretary-General on integrating the rights of women into the human rights mechanisms of the United Nations and the elimination of violence against women (E/CN.4/2005/68) and the report of the Secretary-General transmitting the joint work plan of the Division for the Advancement of Women and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/CN.4/2005/69).

It will also have before it the report of Sigma Huda, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children (E/CN.4/2005/71); and the report of Yakin Erturk, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (E/CN.4/2005/72 and Add.1-5).

Rights of the Child

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the report of Olara Otunnu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict (E/CN.4/2005/77). It will also have before it the report of the High Commissioner on the abduction of children in Africa (E/CN.4/2005/74). It will also consider the substantive progress report of the Secretary-General on the study on violence against children (E/CN.4/2005/75) and the report of Juan Miguel Petit, the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (E/CN.4/2005/78 and Add.1-3).

Specific Groups and Individuals

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the report of Gabriela Rodríguez Pizarro, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants (E/CN.4/2005/85 and Add.1-4). It will consider the report of the High Commissioner on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities (E/CN.4/2005/81). It will also consider the analytical report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights and mass exoduses (E/CN.4/2005/80 and Add.1); the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the mission report to Darfur, Sudan, by the former Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, Francis Deng (E/CN.4/2005/8), and the annual report of Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Walter Kalin (E/CN.4/2005/84 and Add.1); the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery (E/CN.4/2005/86 and Corr.1 and Add.1); the report of the Secretary-General on the protection of human rights in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (E/CN.4/2005/79); and the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on the human rights of persons with disabilities (E/CN.4/2005/82).

Indigenous Issues

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it the report of the High Commissioner in her capacity as Coordinator of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People 1994-2004 (E/CN.4/2005/87); the report of the Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights to elaborate a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples in accordance with paragraph 5 of General Assembly resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994 (E/CN.4/2005/89 and Add.1); and the report of Rodolfo Stavenhagen, the Special Rapporteur on human rights and indigenous issues (E/CN.4/2005/88 and Add.1-4).

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it, among other reports, the quinquennial report of the Secretary-General on capital punishment (E/CN.4/2005/94); the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the role of good governance in the promotion of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/97); the report of Diane Orentlicher, the Independent Expert assigned to update the Set of Principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity (E/CN.4/2005/102 and Add.1); the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (E/CN.4/2005/100); and the report of Robert Goldman, the Independent Expert on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (E/CN.4/2005/103).

The Commission will also consider the report of Hina Jilani, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders (E/CN.4/2005/101 and Add.1-3); the report of the Secretary-General on development of public information activities in the field of human rights, including the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights (E/CN.4/2005/92); the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on progress made towards the implementation of a world programme for human rights education to begin on 1 January 2005 (E/CN.4/2005/98); and the report of the Office of the High Commissioner containing a compilation of the essential aspects of the replies received on the pre-draft declaration on human social responsibilities (E/CN.4/2005/99).

Effective Functioning of Human Rights Mechanisms

Under this agenda item, the Commission will have before it, among other reports, the report of the Secretary-General on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/104); the report of the Secretary-General on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (E/CN.4/2005/106) and the report of the Secretary-General on ways and means to enhance participation of national institutions in the work of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies (E/CN.4/2005/107); and the report of the High Commissioner on the composition of the staff of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/CN.4/2005/109).

Other Issues

Under its agenda item on the right of peoples to self-determination, the Commission will have before it the report of Shaista Shameem, the Special Rapporteur on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (E/CN.4/2005/14).  It will also have before it the report of the third meeting of experts on traditional and new forms of mercenary activities as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination (E/CN.4/2005/23).

Under its agenda item on the right to development, the Commission will have before it the report of the High Commissioner on the right to development (E/CN.4/2005/24) and the report of the Working Group on the right to development (E/CN.4/2005/25).

Under its agenda item on the work of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the Commission will consider the report of the Sub-Commission on its fifty-sixth session (E/CN.4/2005/2-E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/48) and the report of the Chairperson of the fifty-sixth session of the Sub-Commission (E/CN.4/2005/90). It will also have before it the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on the responsibilities of transnational corporations and related business enterprises with regard to human rights (E/CN.4/2005/91).

Under its agenda item on advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights, the Commission will consider the report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/2005/110) on the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights.

Composition of the Commission

The composition of the Commission for 2005 is the following.  The term of membership of each State expires on 31 December of the year indicated in brackets:

Argentina (2005), Armenia (2007), Australia (2005), Bhutan (2006), Brazil (2005), Burkina Faso (2005), Canada (2007), China (2005), Congo (2006), Costa Rica (2006), Cuba (2006), Dominican Republic (2006), Ecuador (2007), Egypt (2006), Eritrea (2006), Ethiopia (2006), Finland (2007), France (2007), Gabon (2005), Germany (2005), Guatemala (2006), Guinea (2007), Honduras (2006), Hungary (2006), India (2006), Indonesia (2006), Ireland (2005), Italy (2006), Japan (2005), Kenya (2007), Malaysia (2007), Mauritania (2006), Mexico (2007), Nepal (2006), Netherlands (2006), Nigeria (2006), Pakistan (2007), Paraguay (2005), Peru (2006), Qatar (2006), Republic of Korea (2007), Romania (2007), Russian Federation (2006), Saudi Arabia (2006), South Africa (2006), Sri Lanka (2005), Sudan (2007), Swaziland (2005), Togo (2007), Ukraine (2005), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2006), United States of America (2005), Zimbabwe (2005).

ANNEX

List of thematic and country-specific procedures and other mechanisms of the commission on human rights: