A year after the institution-building processes of the UN Human Rights Council, which replaced the discredited Commission on Human Rights, civil society and human rights defenders still call for the Council to ensure greater NGO participation and effective gender integration in all its work.

Human rights defenders and civil society organisations are still critical of the new mechanisms of the Human Rights Council (HRC), which it will adopt after a year-long effort of institution-building. HRC's fifth session on June 11-18, 2007 concluded with the adoption of a Presidential text on the institution-building of the Council.

Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, the President of the Council, issued the Presidential text, “UN Human Rights Council: Institution-Building,” which laid out the basic structure for the Council's new institutional machinery, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Mechanism, the Special Procedures, the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, and the Complaint Procedure.

However, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), has expressed its
concerns about some setbacks and challenges in terms of participation of human rights defenders from Asia.

In its commentary on the conclusion of HRC's fifth session, FORUM-ASIA said that the UPR may be “a new innovative form of addressing all country-specific human rights situations.” However, it might become ineffective or inefficient “given the fact that NGO participation is very much restricted.” 

FORUM-ASIA suggested that “at the minimum, NGOs should be given a chance to give comments on the summary of States’ reports and other summaries prepared by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Furthermore, there should be a more detailed set guidelines regarding submission of information from NGOs including non-ECOSOC status NGOs and effective consultation at the national level between government and NGOs during the preparatory process.” Governments, then, should continue to improve the opportunities for civil society to make the most effective contribution possible.

Amnesty International, a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognised human rights, on the other hand, urged the States to ensure that a gender perspective is fully and effectively integrated in the UPR, in the principles governing the agenda and the framework for the programme of work, as well as into all the work of the Council.

With the end of the first year cycle of the Council, civil society organisations still struggle to turn the challenges into opportunities as the HRC moves into the next stage of institution-building. The Council's second year cycle will start officially with its sixth session on September 10-28, 2007. The meeting will discuss institution-building issues such as detailed modalities of the UPR and review of special procedures mandates.

Related article:
“UN Human Rights Council: A step forward or a step back?” in we! June 2007, No. 1 
 
Sources:
“Conclusion of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s institution building: Has the spirit of General Assembly resolution 60/251 been honoured?” from Amnesty International, posted on June 20, 2007, <http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGIOR410152007>.
“FORUM-ASIA Commentary on the Conclusion of the Human Rights Council's Negotiations” from FORUM-ASIA, posted on June 22, 2007, <http://www.forum-asia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=387&Itemid=121>.
“Human Rights Council concludes fifth session after adopting Presidential text on institution building of Council” from the United Nations Office at Geneva, posted on June 19, 2007, <http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/9DC7A717EA2A37AFC12572FF00623188?OpenDocument>.
“UN: Rights Council Ends First Year with Much to Do” from Human Rights Watch, posted on June 19, 2007, <http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/06/18/global16208.htm>.