On 27 March 2006, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights will end its 60 years of existence with a procedural session of a mere three hours (1500hrs to 1800hrs Geneva time). NGOs have been permitted only 15 minutes of speaking time to present a single statement. In response to this disappointing decision, a joint NGO declaration has been prepared, stating clearly that the NGOs endorsing the declaration cannot accept a single NGO statement as it does not reflect the important role that NGOs have played in the history of the Commission, and urging States to acknowledge that this is not an appropriate way to proceed now or in the future. FORUM-ASIA is seeking further endorsements to be collected by Monday, 27 March, 3pm Bangkok time (GMT +7)The historic final session of the Commission of Human Rights will resume and conclude its work over the past 60 years on Monday, 27 March 2006, from 1500hrs to 1800hrs Geneva time. The Expanded Bureau of the Commission adopted a resolution on Wednesday, 22 March, deciding that there will be only one NGO statement for 15 minutes to be permitted.
Despite repeated calls by NGOs for the final session of the Commission to take up substantive human rights issues by considering urgent reports by the Special Rapporteurs and ending its work with a historic accomplishment by adopting the draft Convention on Enforced Disappearances (see FORUM-ASIA’s press release on 16 March 2006) and the draft Declaration on Indigenous Peoples, the Expanded Bureau has decided to reduce the customary six-week session of the Commission to a mere procedural reading of statements of 3 hours in duration.
To respond to such a disappointing end to the Commission, after a delay of two weeks with NGOs left in the dark and out in the cold, an NGO strategy meeting was held in Geneva on 24 March 2006. There was a strong consensus to present a joint NGO declaration to be read out orally at the last session of the Commission, stating clearly that the NGOs endorsing the declaration cannot accept a single NGO statement as it does not reflect the important role that NGOs have played in the history of the Commission, and urging States to acknowledge that this is not an appropriate way to proceed now or in the future.
After reading this short statement, NGOs present at the Commission will call for a moment of silence to symbolise the way in which NGOs have been silenced, and for those who have suffered human rights violations during the life of the Commission, in order to mark its closing with dignity.
If your organisation is interested to sign the document, please send your endorsement to [email protected] before Monday, 27 March, 3pm Bangkok time (GMT +7). We would greatly appreciate it if you could help to disseminate this final text to your relevant contacts and networks for additional signatures.
See the Final text of the joint NGO declaration below.
Note:
It is expected that on Monday, 27 March, the Chairperson of the 62nd session of the Commission will read out every mandate of the Commission and the Sub-Commission (Special Procedures, Working Groups, ongoing studies, etc) that will be maintained from the closing of the Commission until the first session of the Human Rights Council on 19 June 2006.
After this, the five governmental regional groups will read a statement of 10 minutes each, which includes the Asian Group, African Group, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG) and the Eastern European Group (CEIT).
These statements will be followed by a single NGO statement for 15 minutes, when the declaration (see text below) will be read, followed by a moment of silence.
STATEMENT TO THE FINAL SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS BY …
This statement is made on behalf of XXX non-governmental organisations. It cannot be made on behalf of all non-governmental organisations because we have no authority to do so.
During the 60 years of the Commission on Human Rights, non-governmental organisations have played, in the words of the General Assembly, “an important role at the national, regional and international levels, in the promotion and protection of human rights”. Unfortunately the arrangement made for their participation in the final session of the Commission through a single statement does not allow this important role to be reflected. Non-governmental organisations are very diverse, reflecting the variety and multiplicity of human experiences. They have brought to the Commission the voices of the voiceless and of victims of violations throughout the world. That diversity and those voices cannot be encapsulated in a single statement. With disappointment and a sense of loss, we note that they are missing from the final session of the Commission.
We have decided therefore not to make a single non-governmental statement to assess the work of the Commission. We cannot accept that this is an appropriate way to proceed now or in the future and we urge States to acknowledge this.
We look forward positively to the establishment of the Human Rights Council. We remind all States of the terms of the recent General Assembly resolution which committed the future Human Rights Council to “ensuring the most effective contribution” of non-governmental organisations to its work “based on arrangements … and practices observed by the Commission”.
We invite all here today to join us in standing and observing a moment of silence for those who have suffered human rights violations during the life of this Commission, to mark with dignity its closing.
