The Human Rights Council's Advisory Committee today concluded its 29th session in the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Chamber (Room XX) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The session was opened on 20 February by the President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Václav Bálek, who welcomed new members to the Committee and recalled how the Committee, as the Council's think-tank, has provided research-based advice to the Council, allowing it to consider innovative views and perspectives about important human rights issues, including emerging topical themes. Ambassador Bálek underscored that the Council counts on the Advisory Committee's independent expertise and its capacity to bring a wide range of human rights issues relevant to the modern era to the Council's attention.
"I am also looking forward to the two other studies that you have been working on, namely on the advancement of racial justice and equality and on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights, that you will present to the Council at the end of this year," Ambassador Bálek said. He noted the efforts made for greater visibility of the work of the Committee and said that the Council relied on its guidance on many issues.
During this session, chaired by Milena Costas Trascasas, the Committee continued working on two studies mandated by the Human Rights Council, on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights (HRC resolution 48/14); and on the advancement of racial justice and equality (HRC resolution 48/18). In addition, the Committee discussed two new mandates given by the Human Rights Council at its 51st session last September for studies on the impact, opportunities and challenges of neurotechnology with regard to the promotion and protection of all human rights (HRC resolution 51/3); and on the human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain (HRC resolution 51/22).
Finally, the Committee held discussions on its methods of work, during which it discussed issues relating to raising awareness about and increasing the visibility of its work; its engagement with non-governmental organizations; and its interaction with academic friends of the Committee.
At the end of the session, the Committee took action on five issues.
On the advancement of racial justice and equality, the Committee took note of the draft report on patterns, policies and processes contributing to incidents of racial discrimination and on proposals for advancing racial justice and equality, submitted by the drafting group to the Advisory Committee at its present session; and welcomed the input received from Member States and other stakeholders in response to the note verbale and questionnaire circulated after the 28th session of the Advisory Committee. It requested the drafting group to finalize the report in light of the discussion held by the Advisory Committee at its present session. In addition, it decided to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its 54th session after having circulated it to all members of the Advisory Committee for approval electronically.
On the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights the Committee took note of the draft report on the impact of new technologies for climate protection on the enjoyment of human rights submitted by the drafting group to the Advisory Committee at its present session. The Committee requested the drafting group to continue its work with a view to revising and approving the draft report in the intersessional period in the light of the discussions held by the Advisory Committee at its current session; and to finalize the report in the light of the discussions held by the Advisory Committee at its present session and during a virtual meeting to be held in the intersessional period. The Committee decided to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its 54th session, after having circulated it to all members of the Advisory Committee for approval electronically.
On Neurotechnology and human rights, the Committee decided to seek the views of and inputs from stakeholders, including Member States, international and regional organizations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, other relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes within their respective mandates, national human rights institutions, civil society, the private sector, medical and technical communities, academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The Committee requested the drafting group to submit a preliminary draft of the report to the Advisory Committee at its 30th session, taking into account the discussions held at the current session.
On Human rights implications of new and emerging technologies in the military domain, the Committee requested the drafting group to prepare a draft questionnaire to seek the views of and inputs from stakeholders, including States, United Nations agencies, entities, funds and programmes within their respective mandates, international and regional organizations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies, national human rights institutions, civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, multi-stakeholder initiatives and other relevant stakeholders, to be considered by the Advisory Committee at its 30th session and be sent thereafter. It further requested the drafting group to submit an outline of the report to the Advisory Committee at its 30th session, taking into account the discussions held at the current session.
On Research proposals, the Committee decided to submit for consideration of and approval by the Human Rights Council the following research proposals:
(a) Rights of the child and climate change;
(b) Human rights-based approach to addressing gendered cyberviolence; and
(c) Protection of academic freedom and free flow of research.
It also requested Buhm-Suk Baek to prepare, on the basis of his reflection paper and taking into account the discussions held at the current session, a research proposal on the theme "Right to a remedy and reparation for victims of gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law", for consideration at its 30th session.
Documentation on the 29th session is available on the Advisory Committee's session webpage. The 30th session of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee is scheduled to take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 7 to 11 August 2023.
Background
The Advisory Committee is a body of 18 independent experts serving as a think-tank to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). It was established in 2008, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, to provide studies and research-based advice, as requested by the Council and meets twice annually. The Committee's work is implementation-oriented and follows thematic issues linked to the mandate of the Council, namely, the promotion and protection of all human rights. It interacts with States, national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and other civil society bodies. The membership of the Advisory Committee conforms to the following geographical distribution guidelines set out in its establishing resolution: five members each from African and Asian States; three each from Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States; and two members from Eastern European States.
The list of current members of the Advisory Committee and expiration dates for their respective terms of office is as follows:
Nurah Alamro (Saudi Arabia, 2024); Noor Al Malki Al-Jehani (Qatar, 2025); Buhm-Suk Baek (Republic of Korea, 2023); Nadia Amal Bernoussi (Morocco, 2023); Rabah Boudache (Algeria, 2025); Aldo de Campos Costa (Brazil, 2025); Milena Costas Trascasas (Spain, 2025*); Sebastião Da Silva Isata (Angola, 2025); Jewell Major (Bahamas, 2025); Ajai Malhotra (India, 2023); Javier Palummo (Uruguay, 2025*); Vasilka Sancin (Slovenia, 2025); Patrycja Sasnal (Poland, 2023); Dheerujlall Seetulsingh (Mauritius, 2023*); Vassilis Tzevelekos (Greece, 2024); Catherine Van de Heyning (Belgium, 2023); Frans Viljoen (South Africa, 2024); and Yue Zhang (China, 2025).
[*Member serving second term]
