Procedure and timing of the review of the Human Rights Council

Non-paper on modalities of the review of the Human Rights Council

18 May 2010
I. The substantive issues to be discussed (according to the IB Package):

1. Universal periodic review mechanism

2. Special procedures

3. Advisory Committee

4. Complaint procedure

5. Agenda, framework for the programme of work,

6. Methods of work, rules of procedure
II. Consultations.

1. The President of the Council undertakes transparent and all-inclusive consultations on 25 May 2010. Stakeholders express their views and proposals for the modalities of the review.

2. Further informal consultations are held to finalize the draft modalities.

3. The President informs the Council about the progress at the September 2010 session.

III. Facilitators.

1. A new President in consultations with States may wish to appoint five facilitators (one from each regional group) on the substantive issues of the review. Each facilitator is entrusted with one or two issues.

2. The Facilitators undertake open-ended consultations with States and take into account the views of other relevant stakeholders.

3. They summarize the results of the consultations and prepare draft working papers containing concrete proposals for an outcome document of the Working Group.

4. The Facilitators hold further consultations on their draft proposals.
IV. The first session of the Working Group

1. The first session the Working Group is held on 25-29 October 2010.

2. The Working Group works in plenary in the beginning and end of the session and in two parallel sections on the thematic clusters in between.

3. Meetings in the sections start with a presentation by the relevant Facilitator followed by discussion.

4. During the discussion States or groups of States make short presentations of their positions focusing on concrete proposals for an outcome document.

5. Facilitators collect views of States singling out issues ready to be agreed. At the end of the first session the Chairperson of the Group indicates what issues are agreed ad referendum and can be included in a draft outcome document.

V. Second session of the Working Group

1. Between first and second sessions of the Working Group facilitators continue to consult with States on remaining issues. Facilitators submit the results of their work to the Chairperson by the beginning of the second session.

2. The second session is held in February 2011. The session is dedicated to finalizing the outcome document.

3. Organization of work of the second session follows the model of the first session.

VI. The outcome document.

1. The IB document should not be reopened.

2. The results of the work on separate issues will be consolidated into a single document which could become a supplementary document to the IB package in a form of additions and explanations.
VII. Adoption by the Council.

1. When the outcome document is agreed by the Working Group it transmits the document annexed to a short procedural draft resolution to the Council.

2. The Council adopts the draft at its session in June (September) 2011.
VIII. Approval in the General Assembly.

1. A report of the Council’s session containing the outcome document is transmitted to the General Assembly in due course for its approval.

2. The provisions of the outcome document come into force after its approval by the General Assembly.