The Human Rights Council's Performance to-date:
A Civil Society Perspective on Priorities for the Review 2011

Background

Five years after its emergence, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is requested to undertake a review of its status, functioning and its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism in 2011. For this purpose, the HRC established an intergovernmental working group, coordinated by Russia, which will have its first meeting 25-29 October 2010 in Geneva. In addition, there are further informal initiatives by states to collect ideas and recommendations addressing this process (e.g. Wilton Park, Algeria, Mexico/France, Montreux). NGOs, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and other non-state actors are also present in this debate. While the HRC is still young, it already can look back on some achievements as well as some major constraints to its work. Lessons learnt show that there is still room for further enhancement or fine-tuning of its efficiency and effectiveness.

With this international conference, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the German Forum Human Rights and the German Institute for Human Rights would like to contribute to the forthcoming review by particularly reflecting on experiences made by civil society in the last four years: What has been achieved in terms of human rights implementation and standard setting, where has the HRC failed to act, what are the main challenges for the future?

The conference will generally aim to assess the HRC performance to-date and discuss new issues and procedures which may improve the effectiveness of the Council’s work. Focussing on a non-state actors’ perspective, the meeting intends to develop an advocacy strategy for the review process. Furthermore, recommendations will be summarised in a report and presented to the intergovernmental working group on the review later in 2010 and used for lobbying with governments.

Conference Agenda

The conference aims to bring together approximately 50 experts from NGOs, NHRIs, academia, parliamentarians and some governments in order to reflect on the following major issues:

1. Tools of the HRC to address situations of violations of human rights
2. HRC membership, agenda and programme of work
3. HRC mechanisms: Universal Periodic Review
4. HRC mechanisms: Special Procedures
5. HRC sub-organs, role of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights towards HRC

The conference is held at the FES conference hall in Berlin from Thursday 14 October 2010 to Friday 15 October.

The first day consists of introductory presentations followed by working groups on the selected five major themes. In order to allow debate in the working groups to be concise, background papers on the subject matters will be circulated in advance. On the evening of the first day, a public panel discussion will be held.

The second day will continue with working groups and plenary discussions.

Conference language is English. Simultaneous translation German/ English will be offered for the public debate on Thursday, 14 October 2010. The conference is conducted under the Chatham House Rule.

Open the draft programme

- Participation on invitation only -

Public Panel Discussion

The public panel discussion "The Human Rights Council - Between Ambition and Reality" takes place on Thursday, 14 October 2010 from 19:00-21:00 hrs, at the FES conference hall in Berlin (see above).

Read the programme (in German)

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