Commission on Human Rights
61st Session
Geneva
17 March - 22 April 2005
Background
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, composed
of 53 States, meets each year in regular session in March/April
for six weeks in Geneva.
The main themes addressed by the Commission are:
-
the right to self-determination
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racism
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the right to development
-
the question of the violation of human rights
in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine
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the question of the violation of human rights
and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world
-
economic, social and cultural rights
-
civil and political rights, including the questions
of torture and detention, disappearances and summary executions,
freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary, impunity
and religious intolerance
-
the human rights of women, children, migrant
workers, minorities and displaced persons
-
indigenous issues
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the promotion and protection of human rights,
including the work of the Sub-Commission, treaty bodies and
national institutions
-
advisory services and technical cooperation
in the field of human rights.
For more information on the UN Commission on Human
Rights, visit
http://www.unhchr.ch.
Presentation Sisters
attend the Commission on Human Rights Meeting
Imelda Carew (Justice Contact SE Province Ireland) and Nuala
Mottley (Justice Contact UK) attended the Commission on Human
Rights in Geneva from 15 to 24 March 2004. The first two days
were given over to a workshop by the Franciscans International
as an introduction to the workings of the UN system in Geneva
and in particular to the work of the Human Rights Commission.
Learnings
Because the Human Rights Commission is based in Geneva, it facilitates
access by NGOs to those who are working on human rights issues
on behalf of the UN or on behalf of national Governments. NGO
members can also have access to and engage with Government delegations
and missions in Geneva in an ongoing way throughout the year.
Some criteria for making interventions at Geneva are:
-
Interventions must come from a body of persons,
not an individual.
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Those working on the ground request the intervention
but those who experience the problem must be the ones to speak
of it and present the details.
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Information must be accurate and well documented.
The rest of the time was spent attending sessions of the Commission
and some parallel events organised by NGOs. Because the reports
by Government delegates came together in the first three and a
half days, the amount of really useful time for them to follow
up on issues was limited to the remaining days.
The discussion of agenda items they were able to attend were:
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The right of peoples to self determination;
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Racism and all forms of discrimination;
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The right to Development.
It was an interesting, informative and sometimes frustrating
time but Imelda and Nuala were glad to have had the opportunity
to be there for part of the annual Meeting of the Commission on
Human Rights.
(One good website you can access on Trade Justice and on HIV/AIDS
which they were made familiar with is that of the Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance at the World Council of Churches in Geneva: www.e-alliance.ch)
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