Commonwealth Human Rights e-Newsletter: December 2006   Commonwealth National Human Rights Commission (CNHRC) Project

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This e-Newsletter has been produced for Commonwealth National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) by the British Council, as part of the British Council's project to support networking and sharing between such NHRIs.

SPOTLIGHT of the month: Statement on International Human Rights Day by the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Content:

	1. Forthcoming Events 2. Awards 3. Reports and Publications 4. News Stories 5. Update on Human Rights Council's Third session
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT -- Closure of the British Council's Commonwealth National Human Rights Commissions project (CNHRCP) British Council's Commonwealth National Human Rights Commissions project (CNHRCP) in which your organisation has participated is coming to an end on 31 December 2006.  The specific aim of the project has been to develop a network and support system for National Human Rights Commissions in the Commonwealth in order to increase the impact of their work.  This was to be achieved by: a series of practical workshops, which assisted capacity building within the participating organisations through skills and knowledge development and reciprocal learning; the publication of training and information materials; and a proactive information service. After much consideration it has been decided that the current project has now reached a natural conclusion.  However, we are currently in discussion with partner organisations to consider whether elements of the project could continue in a different form.  The project website www.britishcouncil.org.in/NHRIs will remain in place as an archive of the project's materials and publications. Read more

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

International HIV/AIDS Cartoon Exhibit at the United Nations on World AIDS Day from 1 December to 9 January 2007 The United Nations will host an exhibit of 300 cartoons on the subject of HIV and AIDS, contributed by 50 graphic artists from around the world, starting from 1 December – World Aids Day -- until 9 January 2007. The cartoons, grouped into the themes of prevention, treatment and human rights, represent a unique artistic reflection on the HIV/AIDS epidemic and create a vibrant mosaic that enables the audience to approach this serious subject through the lens of humour and art.

Fifty-First session of the Commission on the Status of Women from 26 February to 9 March 2007 The fifty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 26 February to 9 March 2007. In accordance with its multi-year programme of work for 2007-2009, the Commission will consider “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” as its priority theme.

Commonwealth Law Conference 2007 from 8 -13 September 2007 at Nairobi, Kenya In September 2007 the Law Society of Kenya and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association will hold Commonwealth Law Conference in Nairobi. Over 2000 legal professionals from 53 commonwealth countries are expected to attend. There will be over 60 working sessions, covering: Constitutionalism, Human Rights, Governance and the Rule of Law, Corporate and Commercial Law, The Legal Profession, Law in a Globalised Economy and Contemporary Legal Issues.

 

AWARDS,COMPETITIONS & INTERNSHIPS

Nigeria - MacArthur Foundation's Grants for Human Rights and International Justice This MacArthur Foundation grant aims to expand and strengthen the network of human rights organisations in Nigeria that provides the basic infrastructure for a national human rights culture based on the rule of law. The grants support leading human rights organisations, both nationally and in selected states. Special attention is given to the issue of police reform, including mechanisms for improving accountability and addressing police abuse of human rights, and efforts to strengthen Nigeria 's legal architecture through reform of national laws and domestication of international treaties. The Foundation makes grants throughout the year.

 

REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS

International

The girl child and armed conflict: recognising and addressing grave violations of girls' human rights During armed conflict, girls are subject to widespread and, at times, systematic forms of human rights violations that have mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and material repercussions. These violations include illegal detention with or without family members, abduction and forced removal from families and homes, disappearances, torture and other inhuman treatment, forced marriage and forced child- bearing. This paper, produced by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), documents and analyses the grave human rights violations girls endure during situations of armed conflict and offers recommendations on preventing and or addressing those harms. The paper begins by offering a concise overview of current trends in armed conflict and the impact of armed conflict on children. It discusses existing international initiatives that identify grave and systematic violations against girls during armed conflict and reviews the most pertinent international legal standards relating to these violations.

Children and armed conflict - Report of the Secretary-General Government forces, rebel groups, armed militia and mercenaries operating in conflicts in at least 12 countries recruit children to serve as soldiers or are responsible for murdering, torturing and committing sexual crimes against them, according to a new report from Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The report on children and armed conflict calls on the Security Council to maintain its pressure on those parties recruiting and using child soldiers to draw up time-bound action plans to end such behaviour. The report lists parties in Burundi , Chad , Colombia , Côte d'Ivoire , the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda as recruiting or using children as armed combatants or committing other abuses and violations against them. The report has been released as Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, marked the Universal Day of the Child by highlighting the terrible toll that war takes on children. Read the report

British Council Legal e-newsletter The British Council legal e-newsletter is a fortnightly free service for members of the legal fraternity i.e. judges, lawyers, law academics, law students and NGOs working on law and justice issues.  Apart from law updates from UK and India , information on legal education in the UK, speeches and downloads, a unique feature of the newsletter is the ‘Legal Focus'.  This feature covers an important topical issue of law and provides a comparative analysis on the issue from both British and Indian perspectives.  Previous issues have covered topics such as Domestic Violence, Plea Bargaining, Parliamentary Privileges and Medical Negligence etc. -- Register to subscribe to the Legal e-newsletter

The State of the World's Children 2007 Eliminating gender discrimination and empowering women will have a profound and positive impact on the survival and well-being of children, according to a new UNICEF report issued on UNICEF's 60th anniversary. The State of the World's Children 2007 examines the discrimination and disempowerment women face throughout their lives – and outlines what must be done to eliminate gender discrimination and empower women and girls. It looks at the status of women today, discusses how gender equality will move all the Millennium Development Goals forward, and shows how investment in women's rights will ultimately produce a double dividend: advancing the rights of both women and children.

Australia

New guideline for making payphones more accessible for people with disabilities A new industry guideline to ensure that payphones are accessible for people with disabilities in Australia has been developed by Communications Alliance and the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC). Publication of the new payphone guideline coincides with the International Day for People with a Disability. It follows the recent registration of an industry code requiring equipment manufacturers and importers to inform people with special needs about relevant features of telephone handsets for fixed or mobile phone services. The Accessibility of Payphones Industry Guideline sets benchmarks that can be used in the design and installation of payphones. The guideline states that payphones should be installed so they can be more easily accessed by people with wheelchairs or other mobility aids; they should have features including volume control so that people with hearing impairments can use the phone; and they should have other features such as keys that are recessed or concave, with clear lettering and/or numbering that allows easy use for people with vision impairments or other physical disabilities. Read the Guidelines for making payphones more accessible for people with disabilities

Africa

Violence against girls in Africa: a retrospective survey in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda Produced by the African Child Policy Forum, this report presents the results of retrospective surveys in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda on young women's experiences of violence before they were 18 years old. Surveys were taken of a group of 500 young women in each of the capital cities of their respective countries. The surveys found evidence of widespread experiences of violence against girls: on average, eight out of every ten girls surveyed reported being physically abused, with a high incidence of sexual abuse including rape, and almost all experienced some form of psychological abuse. The report concludes that more education is needed for girls about their rights; further, there is a need for more information about the perpetrators of violence.

New Zealand

New Zealand Curriculum Draft for Consultation 2006 – Human Rights Issues : A paper The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has prepared a brief overview of the New Zealand Curriculum draft from a human rights perspective. This paper identifies some human rights issues for consideration and is provided as a resource for organisations, groups and individuals who are making submissions as part of the consultation to the draft Curriculum. The Commission recognises that education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights. This paper highlights the significance of a national curriculum in realising the right to education. It offers a review of the draft Curriculum against domestic and international human rights standards. It focuses on the proposed principles, values, competencies, learning areas and pedagogy.

Case studies of human rights in New Zealand "10 Human Rights Cases that Made a Difference" charts the peaks and troughs of the social tensions and human rights issues that affect everyday New Zealanders. "A booklet of case studies released by the Human Rights Commission to mark International Human Rights Day (10 December 2006) provides a weather map of New Zealand's human rights issues". The booklet illustrates the range and impact of discrimination complaints mediated by the Commission's Disputes Resolution Service or dealt with through the Commission's broader mandate. It includes cases relating to discrimination on the basis of religious belief, disability issues in employment, breastfeeding at work, the Mohammed cartoons, age, sexual harassment and race. "These case studies demonstrate the discrimination that many New Zealanders continue to face. They serve as a timely reminder for Human Rights Day that although New Zealand has achieved much in relation to human rights there is still work to be done," Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan said. Read the Booklet

United Kingdom

UK Government response to consultation on powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission The UK Government has published its response to the consultation on the powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.  In commenting on the consultation, Political Development Minister, David Hanson MP, said: “As announced at St Andrews , it is the Government's intention to bring forward legislation in the present Parliamentary session that will see significant new powers extended to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. “In response to the consultation process which was launched in November last year, we have received a number of valuable responses on the powers of the Commission. Following careful consideration, it is our intention that the Commission be extended the statutory power to access places of detention and to compel information as part of its investigations. We also now intend that it should have the power to rely upon the European Convention on Human Rights when bringing judicial proceedings in its own name.” In December 2004, the then Secretary of State, Paul Murphy, announced that the Government had decided in principle that the Commission should be granted the right of access to places of detention and the power to compel evidence and witnesses, subject to appropriate safeguards, in conducting its investigations. This was underlined in November 2005, when the Government published a consultation inviting views on the extension of new powers. The document offers the UK Government's response to this consultation, and to the recommendations that the Commission has made.

Disability Equality Duty (DED) - Guidance for disabled people From 4 December 2006, UK's Disability Discrimination Act 2005 places a duty on all public sector bodies to promote disability equality. This will transform the way public services are run across Britain. The Disability Equality Duty (DED) places a duty on the public sector to promote disability equality, similar to the duty to promote race equality under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act. It requires people to promote equality at the beginning of the process, rather than make adjustments at the end. The real measure of success for the DED will be the positive experiences of disabled people. The DRC has produced guidance for disabled people on the Disability Equality Duty (DED), aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of the new duty and to encourage disabled people to participate in this process. The document explains how disabled people and their organisations can expect to be involved and what they can do to help public authorities achieve effective involvement. Read: -- DED enforcement toolkit for disabled people (December 2006) -- DRC Guidance for Disabled People (May 2006)

 

NEWS STORIES

ASYLUM

UN refugee agency appeals for $1.06 billion in 2007 The U.N. refugee agency has appealed for $1.06 billion to provide food and shelter next year for millions of people uprooted by persecution and conflict. "A billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it is equivalent to just a dollar a week for each of the 21 million people we help," United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres said in a statement. The annual appeal aims to help a total of 8.6 million refugees, 6.6 million internally displaced persons, 770,000 asylum seekers and 2.3 million stateless people. Some $428.5 million -- nearly half the sum the UNHCR is asking for -- is already included in the U.N.'s Consolidated Appeal for all agencies, launched last month for a total of $3.9 billion, a spokeswoman said. The UNHCR's largest operation will be in Chad ($69 million), followed by Afghanistan ($52 million) and Liberia and Kenya ($32 million each).

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

New Zealand Human Rights Commission welcomes passing of Anti-Torture Act The New Zealand Human Rights Commission welcomed the passing of legislation which enables New Zealand to ratify the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan said today that the Crimes of Torture Amendment Act is a crucial element in the international framework for human rights. "Opening New Zealand up to greater international scrutiny and monitoring will give added impetus and greater priority to ensuring the safety of those in detention." The Commission congratulated the Government for its active support for the Protocol and for being the first country to sign it in 2003. The Protocol establishes a system of international inspection visits by a sub-committee to places of detention where torture or ill treatment might be carried out. These inspections work in tandem with national mechanisms, creating a dual system of regular visits by complementary teams of international and national experts.

NIHRC seeks changes to Justice and Security (NI) Bill The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has criticised “weaknesses” in the Justice and Security (NI) Bill. The Commission believes that, while the legislation was intended to enhance its powers, aspects of the bill could impede the protection of human rights in Northern Ireland. The Commission sought the power to enter prisons and other places of detention, and the power to compel witnesses and the production of evidence.  The Bill would only allow the NIHRC to secure access to detention facilities during a formal investigation, and the power to secure evidence or compel witnesses is also limited to such investigations.  There are severe limitations on the scope for the Commission to consider any aspect of the work of the security and intelligence services, and the new powers would apply only to events occurring after 1 January 2008.

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL & CULTURAL RIGHTS

Constitutional protection of Socio-Economic Rights This article evaluates the extent to which a few selected African countries have incorporated socio-economic rights in their constitutions, the mechanisms through which such rights are realised, the challenges such realisation entails and the approach taken by the courts and other human rights institutions in those countries towards the realisation and enforcement of those rights. The survey examines South Africa, Uganda, Namibia and Ghana. The article concludes that South Africa has not only made the most advanced constitutional provision for socio-economic rights, it has also taken the lead in the judicial enforcement of such rights, an experience from which the other countries in the survey can learn.

1 December World AIDS Day: Accountability December 1st was World AIDS day. The theme for this year was accountability. The theme of accountability was developed by the World AIDS Campaign support team based on their ongoing work around World AIDS Day, and based on the outcomes of the London HIV and AIDS Campaigning and Advocacy meeting in February 2005. The most significant aspect of this World AIDS Day is the degree to which it has been based around the inputs of a wide range of civil society partners. --Governments, civil society organisations, communities and individuals all have a part to play, Commonwealth Secretary-General says in World AIDS Day message --AIDS around the world --CNHRCP e-Alert on ' HIV/AIDS and Human Rights'

MIGRANTS

International Migrants Day - 18 December On 4 December 2000, the General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day (resolution 55/93). On that day, in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (resolution 45/158). Check out: -- High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development (14-15 Sept. 2006) -- UN Initiatives on International Migration -- Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Human Rights of Migrants -- Committee on Migrant Workers -- Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air and Sea, supplementary to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

Human Rights Day, 10 December 2006 Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December. It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its formal inception dates from 1950, after the Assembly passed resolution 423 (V) inviting all States and interested organizations to adopt 10 December of each year as Human Rights Day. This year Human Rights Day focused on fighting poverty as a matter of obligation, not of charity. Read Message from: -- Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon -- Canadian Human Rights Commissioner -- Acting Chairperson, Indian Human Rights Commission

Human rights and humanitarian crisis continues in Sri Lanka: Intensified scrutiny needed from Human Rights Council says ICJ The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called on member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to closely scrutinize the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and renewed its call for the establishment of a fully-fledged human rights operation in the country. "There is little neutral space left in Sri Lanka . Civilians are suffering the human rights and humanitarian consequences of a deepening conflict and unaccountable armed forces on all sides", said the ICJ. "The Human Rights Council must not turn away. It can and should play a constructive role in helping to prevent and stop the continuing serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Sri Lanka and in helping to tackle systemic impunity", said the ICJ.

Inter-Regional Conference on Justice Systems and Human Rights held in Brazil In September, the British Council Brazil organised the ‘Inter-Regional Conference on Justice Systems and Human Rights', in Palacio do Itamaraty, Brasília. The conference, organised in partnership with the Government of Brazil, the British Embassy, Ford Foundation and the University of Essex , was the first ever of its genre. It brought together more than 50 global leaders in Human Rights, including judges and others working in judicial systems, and some representatives from civil society, from India , South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. The purpose of the conference was to discuss common challenges for the judiciary in securing human rights protection. In addition to plenary sessions where key specific issues and concepts were discussed, workshops and group discussions were held on substantive areas, common to all countries, where systemic human rights abuses occur, including violence, land, access to justice and health, discrimination and labour rights; and also on wider issues such as judges and democracy, structural issues in justice systems, administration of criminal justice, relationship between international law and domestic systems and the role of NGOs. Access: -- Interview: Jody Kollapen, Chairperson - South Africa Human Rights Commission -- watch the conference video -- Research Papers -- e-Casebooks

Fiji suspended from Commonwealth The Commonwealth has suspended Fiji 's membership in protest at its recent military coup. The decision followed a meeting of foreign ministers from Commonwealth countries in London. This is the third time that Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon announced the suspension after an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth's Ministerial Action Group. " Fiji 's military regime should forthwith be suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in that country," he said in a statement. The group "unequivocally condemned" the military take-over, calling it "a serious violation of the Commonwealth's fundamental principles".

RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED

International Day of Disabled Persons 3 December 2006 2006 Theme: "E-Accessibility" The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly in 1982. -- Access to information technology creates opportunity for all, especially persons with disabilities, UN Secretary-General says in observance of Disabled Persons Day --Themes and observances of previous years --December 5, 2006 - resumption of the 8th Session of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities -- New Zealand Human Rights Commissioner Robyn Hunt welcomed the UN initiative of singling out e-accessibility as the theme for the International Day of Disabled Persons (3 December)

UN adopts disability convention The United Nations General Assembly has unanimously adopted a treaty on the rights of disabled people. The text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was agreed by a UN committee in August. Countries that ratify it will have to introduce laws ensuring that disabled people are treated fairly. The treaty will enter into force once it has been ratified by 20 countries. The treaty will be signed by the European Union as a legal entity - a first in the field of human rights. An optional protocol to the treaty will give groups and individuals the right to petition the Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities once they have exhausted all avenues within their own country. A committee of independent experts will receive reports from states that have ratified the convention on the progress made in meeting their obligations. The convention will be opened for signature and ratification in March 2007. Also read --UN Secretary-General's message on the adoption of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (delivered by Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, Deputy Secretary-General) -- Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes AM welcomes UN instrument for 650 million people with disabilities -- Intervention of NHRIs on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples delayed Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma expressed his disappointment at the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to delay consideration of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for up to 12 months. The decision, made by the Third Committee of the General Assembly on 28 November, states that the General Assembly will "defer consideration and action on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to allow time for further consultations". Furthermore, it also decided that the General Assembly would "conclude consideration of the Declaration before the end of (the UN General Assembly's) sixty-first session". This decision follows the approval of the Declaration by the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2006. It also comes after 24 years of negotiations on the Declaration, including a working group of governments and indigenous representatives for the past 11 years. Commissioner Calma called on all governments, especially Australia , to ensure that any further discussions on the Declaration are conducted with the full participation of Indigenous peoples.

WOMEN

UN agency for women passes important hurdle Plans to create a powerful new United Nations entity devoted to women and gender equality moved one step closer to reality with the endorsement of a high-level UN reform panel. The proposed agency would streamline current disparate efforts to aid women and be headed by an under-secretary-general with the ability to lobby for funds and undertake large-scale programs for women. Outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to ask the General Assembly for an official endorsement before his term ends on Dec. 31. This is the most dramatic step forward in decades, for women and for the UN," said Stephen Lewis, the UN special envoy on AIDS/HIV, who has lobbied vigorously for an agency that would deliver programs and services to billions of women throughout the world on an unprecedented scale.

25 November - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic , on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961). On 20 December 1993 the General Assembly adopted Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104). Also read -- UN Secretary General's In-Depth Study on All Forms of Violence against Women (2006) -- UN launches campaign to end violence against women on 25 November 2006

UNIFEM announces grants for 28 initiatives in 20 countries to end violence against Women The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, established 10 years ago by the UN General Assembly, could disburse $3.5 million this year - almost twice the amount available in 2005 and close to four times more than in 2004. This Fund managed by UNIFEM has proven to be an effective mechanism to tackle the pandemic of violence as it affects women in each and every country around the world. Eighty-nine states have adopted legislative provisions that address domestic violence, including 60 states with specific domestic violence laws.

Pakistan votes to amend rape laws Pakistan 's national assembly has voted to amend the country's strict Sharia laws on rape and adultery. Until now rape cases were dealt with in Sharia courts. Victims had to have four male witnesses to the crime, if not they faced prosecution for adultery. Now civil courts will be able to try rape cases, assuming the upper house and the president ratify the move. "It is a historic bill because it will give rights to women and help end excesses against them," Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told parliament after the vote. Religious parties boycotted the vote, saying the bill encouraged "free sex". A woman is raped every two hours and gang-raped every eight hours in Pakistan , according to the country's independent Human Rights Commission. -- Civil society rejects Women Protection Bill

FGM on the decline in Tanzania, study shows The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is on the decline in Tanzania , according to the results of a study by the country's Ministry of Health. Released on 1 December, the Tanzania Demographic Health Survey showed that FGM prevalence had declined from 18 percent in 1996 to 15 percent in 2005, when the survey was carried out. Local NGOs attributed the decline in the number of girls undergoing FGM to continued awareness campaigns against the practice. "The campaigns have had positive results, including a recent decision by 190 mutilators to lay down their tools in Kilimanjaro region," said Helen Kijo-Bisimba, director of the Legal and Human Rights Centre. She urged the government to increase its funding of projects aimed at eradicating gender-based violence, including FGM.

 

Resumed 2nd and 3rd session of the Human Rights Council 27 November - 8 December 2006
The Human Rights Council concluded its third regular session, which was held from 29 November to 8 December. During the session, which started immediately following the conclusion of the second session, the Council heard an address delivered on behalf of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and heard the report of High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour. The Council also adopted six resolutions and one decision, as well as its annual report to the General Assembly
27 November 2006	Human Rights Council opens resumed Second Session
28 November 2006	Council adopts resolution on effective implementation of International Instruments on Human Rights
29 November 2006	Human Rights Council concludes Second Session after adopting eighteen texts Human Rights Council opens Third Session
30 November 2006	Human Rights Council discusses its methods of work and future agenda
1 December 2006	Council takes up various issues including Children in Armed Conflict, Sexual Orientation and Violations in certain countries
4 December 2006	Human Rights Council discusses progress report on Universal Periodic Review Mechanism and concludes discussion
5 December 2006	Human Rights Council discusses progress report on Review of Mandates and concludes discussion
6 December 2006	Human Rights Council discusses progress of working group on complaint procedure
8 December 2006	Human Rights Council concludes Third Regular Session Human Rights Council concludes Third Session largely devoted to organisation of future work

 

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