UNITED

NATIONS

	International Human Rights Instruments	Distr. GENERAL HRI/MC/1995/1 1 August 1995 Original: ENGLISH

Sixth Meeting of Chairpersons

  of Human Rights Treaty Bodies

18-22 September 1995

PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary-General

1.   The 6th meeting of persons chairing the human rights treaty bodies will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 18 to 22 September 1995. The meeting will be convened on Monday, 18 September 1995, at 10 a.m.

2.   This document contains the provisional agenda for the 6th meeting of chairpersons, prepared by the Secretary-General, together with annotations relating thereto.

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

      1.   Opening of the meeting.

      2.   Election of the officers of the meeting.

      3.   Adoption of the agenda.

      4.   Organizational and other matters.

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

      6.   Improving the operation of the human rights treaty bodies.

      7.   Gender perspectives in the work of the treaty bodies.

      8.   Prevention of human rights violations, including early warning and urgent procedures.

      9.   Assistance to States in implementing Committee recommendations.

      10. Adoption of the report.

GE.95-18011 (E)

ANNOTATIONS TO THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1.   Opening of the meeting

      The meeting will be opened by the representative of the Secretary-General, who will act as temporary chairperson until a chairperson is elected.

2.   Election of the officers of the meeting

      A chairperson and a rapporteur will be elected from among the treaty body representatives at the meeting.

3.   Adoption of the agenda

      The meeting will adopt its agenda: it may decide to revise it at any time and, as appropriate, add, defer or delete items.

4.   Organizational and other matters

      Under this agenda item, the meeting will consider its programme of work. In this connection, attention is drawn to the recommendation of the 5th meeting of chairpersons that representatives of the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system be invited to their future meetings and that representatives of non-governmental organizations again be invited to address the chairpersons and to submit appropriate recommendations for consideration by the meeting (see A/49/537, paras. 37 and 42). Representatives of regional organizations are also being invited to the 6th meeting.

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

      Under this agenda item, there will be a brief oral review by each participant of recent developments of special concern to the respective treaty bodies.

6.   Improving the operation of the human rights treaty bodies

      Under this agenda item, the meeting may wish to consider ways further to improve the operation of the treaty bodies. In this connection, the chairpersons will have before them the reports of the Secretary-General (i) on the status of the international human rights instruments and the general situation of overdue reports (HRI/MC/1995/3) and (ii) on improving the operation of the human rights treaty bodies (HRI/MC/1995/2) which contains, inter alia, information on follow-up to the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the 5th meeting of chairpersons.

      In addition, the meeting will have before it the following documentation:

      (a)  Report of the 5th meeting of persons chairing the human rights treaty bodies (A/49/537);

      (b)  Interim report of the updated study of the independent expert on enhancing the long-term effectiveness of the United Nations human rights treaty regime (A/CONF.157/PC/62/Add.11/Rev.1);

      (c)  Vienna statement of the international human rights treaty bodies (A/CONF.157/TBB/4 and Add.1);

      (d)  Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (A/CONF.157/23);

      (e)  Relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, including resolution 49/178 on the effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights;

      (f)   Relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights, including resolutions: 1995/18 on the succession of States in respect of international human rights treaties, 1995/22 on the status of the International Covenants on Human Rights, 1995/80 on comprehensive implementation and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and 1995/92 on effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights;

      (g)  Compilation of general comments and general recommendations adopted by human rights treaty bodies (HRI/GEN/1/Rev.1).

7.   Gender perspectives in the work of the treaty bodies

      Under this item, the meeting may wish to discuss what common strategy can be developed by the treaty bodies to integrate more fully gender perspectives into their working methods. In this connection, the meeting will have before it the report of an expert group on the drafting of gender-sensitive guidelines for the integration of the human rights of women into the United Nations human rights activities and programmes, which met at Geneva from 3 to 7 July 1995.

8.   Prevention of human rights violations, including early warning and urgent procedures

      Under this agenda item, the chairpersons may wish to discuss action to be taken to prevent human rights violations, in particular as a follow-up to their meeting with the Secretary-General in June 1995.

9.   Assistance to States in implementing Committee recommendations

      Several General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights resolutions refer to the usefulness of technical assistance and advisory services in helping States parties to comply with their obligations pursuant to United Nations human rights instruments. Accordingly, the chairpersons may wish to discuss, in consultation with United Nations organs and agencies and staff from the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant services of the Centre for Human Rights, ways and means to provide assistance to States in implementing Committee recommendations.

10. Adoption of the report

      The 6th meeting of chairpersons will adopt its report to the fiftieth session of the General Assembly.

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