1. The twelfth meeting of chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies will be held from 5 to 8 June 2000, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 49/178 of 23 December 1994, in which the Secretary-General was requested to finance, as of 1995, annual meetings of the chairpersons. Prior to their meeting in 1995, the chairpersons had met for the first time in 1984 and biannually from 1988 until 1994.

2. The present document, which was prepared in consultation with the chairpersons, contains the provisional agenda for their twelfth meeting and annotations relating thereto.

1. Opening of the meeting and election of officers

2. Adoption of the agenda

3. Organizational and other matters

4. Review of recent developments relating to the work of the treaty bodies

5. Cooperation between human rights treaty bodies and United Nations departments, specialized agencies, funds, programmes and mechanisms and non-governmental organizations

6. Plans of action:

(a) To strengthen the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

(b) To strengthen the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

(c) To strengthen the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

7. Periodicity of reporting

8. Establishment of indicators/benchmarks to assess the realization of human rights

9. Preparations for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

10. Joint meeting with special rapporteurs/representatives, experts and chairpersons of working groups of the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights and of the advisory services programme

11. Informal consultation with Governments

12. Adoption of the report and setting of dates for the thirteenth meeting of chairpersons

Item 1. Opening of the meeting and election of officers

The meeting will convene at the United Nations Office at Geneva on Monday, 5 June 2000, at 10 a.m.

Item 2. Adoption of the agenda

The meeting will adopt its agenda on the basis of the provisional agenda contained in the present document.

Item 3. Organizational and other matters

Under this agenda item, the meeting will consider and adopt a programme of work. The chairpersons may also wish to consider questions relating to the functioning of meetings of chairpersons, including basic questions such as the purpose of the meeting and its methods of work.

Item 4. Review of recent developments relating to the work of the treaty bodies

Under this agenda item, the chairpersons have an opportunity to update the meeting on the undertakings of the treaty bodies on which they serve, as well as discuss general developments relating to their work. In addition, the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights are invited to send a representative to discuss issues of common concern and interest, in accordance with the practice established at previous meetings.

Item 5. Cooperation between human rights treaty bodies and United Nations departments, specialized agencies, funds, programmes and mechanisms and non-governmental organizations

United Nations departments, specialized agencies, funds, programmes and mechanisms whose mandates are closely related to the work of the treaty bodies are invited to exchange views with the chairpersons on matters of mutual interest or concern. Non-governmental organizations are also invited to exchange views with the chairpersons under this agenda item.

Item 6. Plans of action:

(a) To strengthen the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

(b) To strengthen the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

(c) To strengthen the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

The chairpersons will be briefed on the status of the above three plans of action and will have the opportunity to discuss some of the specific activities that may be undertaken under them. The finalized Plan of Action for strengthening the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which was revised following their eleventh meeting at the request of the chairpersons in consultation with all the members of the three concerned treaty bodies, will be before the chairpersons (HRI/MC/2000/4). In addition, the report of the secretariat on follow-up to the eleventh meeting (HRI/MC/2000/3) will contain information on the status of the Plans of Action for strengthening the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Item 7. Periodicity of reporting

At the suggestion of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the experiences of the various treaty bodies on the periodicity of reporting will be discussed at the twelfth meeting of chairpersons. The chairpersons may wish to exchange views in relation to the determination and maintenance of periodicity of reporting. To facilitate the discussion, a background paper will be made available to the chairpersons outlining the present practices of the six human rights treaty bodies (HRI/MC/2000/Misc.1).

Item 8. Establishment of indicators/benchmarks to assess the realization of human rights

Considerable work is taking place in the development of human rights indicators. The chairpersons will be updated on those developments by the secretariat.

Item 9. Preparations for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

The treaty bodies have been invited to consider what contribution they may make to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (2001). Some of the contributions have already been issued and will be made available to the chairpersons. The chairpersons may wish to review and discuss the contributions in their entirety.

Item 10. Joint meeting with special rapporteurs/representatives, experts and chairpersons of working groups of the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights and of the advisory services programme

Pursuant to the request of the joint meeting held during the eleventh meeting of chairpersons in 1999, the chairpersons at their present meeting will meet with the special rapporteurs/representatives, experts and chairpersons of working groups of the Commission on Human Rights and of the advisory services programme, who are convened for their seventh meeting, to enable the two groups of experts to coordinate their activities in a more effective manner. The annual meetings of both groups were scheduled to coincide for this purpose.

Item 11. Informal consultation with Governments

Following the experience of previous meetings, when the chairpersons engaged in a fruitful dialogue with representatives of States parties to the human rights treaties on the work of the treaty bodies and their reform, States parties will be invited to send representatives to continue their dialogue with the chairpersons.

Item 12. Adoption of the report and setting of dates for the thirteenth meeting of chairpersons

The chairpersons will adopt a report on their meeting, including conclusions and recommendations, to be submitted to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 53/138.

In addition, the chairpersons will determine the dates of their thirteenth meeting, to be held in 2001.