Committee on Enforced Disappearances
Fifth session
4–15 November 2013
Item 3 of the provisional agenda
Adoption of the agenda
Provisional agenda and annotations
Note by the Secretary-General
1.The fifth session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 4 to 15 November 2013. The first meeting of the session will be convened on Monday 4 November at 10 a.m.
2.The attached provisional agenda and annotations for the fifth session of the Committee have been prepared by the Secretary-General taking into account the relevant provisions of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
Provisional agenda
1.Opening of the fifth session.
2.Minute of silence in remembrance of victims of enforced disappearances.
3.Adoption of the agenda.
4.Communications, requests for urgent actions and information received by the Committee.
5.Matters related to the methods of work of the Committee:
(a)Methods of work related to articles 32, 33 and 34 of the Convention;
(b)Interaction with relevant stakeholders;
(c)Ratification strategy and other matters.
6.Consideration of reports of States parties to the Convention.
7.Thematic discussion on “enforced disappearance and military justice”.
8.Meeting with Member States of the United Nations.
9.Meeting with United Nations agencies and mechanisms, and intergovernmental organizations.
10.Yearly meeting with the Working Group on Enforced or InvoluntaryDisappearances.
11.Meeting with national human rights institutions.
12. Meeting with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
13.Provisional agenda for the sixth session.
14.Treaty body strengthening update.
Annotations
1.Opening of the session
The fifth session of the Committee will be opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights or her representative.
2.Minute of silence in remembrance of victims of enforced disappearances
The Committee will hold a minute of silence in remembrance of victims of enforced disappearances.
3.Adoption of the agenda
The Committee will consider and adopt the agenda for its fifth session.
4.Communications, requests for urgent actions and information received by the Committee
The Committee will consider any communication, request for urgent action and information it has received in relation to articles 30–34 of the Convention.
5. Matters related to the methods of work of the Committee
Under this item, the Committee will, inter alia, discuss: (a) methods of work with regard to its activities under articles 32, 33 and 34 of the Convention; (b) interaction with relevant stakeholders; and (c) the strategy to encourage States to ratify the Convention and other matters.
6.Consideration of reports of States parties to the Convention
The Committee will consider during the fifth session the reports by Argentina and Spain, submitted pursuant to article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention.
A tentative timetable for the consideration of reports at the fifth session, prepared in consultation with the Committee, is given below:
Argentina (CED/C/ARG/1) on Monday 4 November 2013 p.m. and on Tuesday 5 November 2013 a.m.;
Spain (CED/C/ESP/1) on Tuesday 5 November 2013 p.m. and on Wednesday 6 November 2013 a.m.
In accordance with rule 51 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General has informed the States parties concerned of the dates on which their respective reports are scheduled for consideration by the Committee at its fifth session.
Country report task forces will examine and adopt lists of issues on the report of Germany on Monday, 11 November 2013 p.m.
7.Thematic discussion on “enforced disappearance and military justice”
Under this item, the Committee will discuss in closed session a topic which it considers deserving of special attention, namely “enforced disappearance and military justice”. This theme is of relevance to the Committee’s work and may be the subject of future days of general discussion or future general comments.
8.Meeting with Member States of the United Nations
The Committee will hold a meeting with States Parties to the Convention, States signatories to the Convention and other Member States of the United Nations to discuss with them relevant topics under the Convention.
9.Meeting with United Nations agencies and mechanisms, and intergovernmental organizations
The Committee will meet with United Nations agencies and mechanisms, and intergovernmental organizations which work on issues related to enforced disappearance.
10 . Yearly meeting with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
The Committee will hold its yearly joint meeting with the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to ensure a strong and effective cooperation among the two mechanisms with the aim to avoid overlaps and to achieve the common goal of the eradication of the practice of enforced disappearances and ensure the right to the truth, justice and reparation to the victims.
11. Meeting with national human rights institutions
The Committee will hold a meeting with national human rights institutions on matters related to the implementation of the Convention.
12.Meeting with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders
The Committee will hold a meeting with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders on matters related to the implementation of the Convention.
13.Provisional agenda for the sixth session
The Committee will discuss the provisional agenda for its sixth session, to be held from 10 to 21 March 2014.
14. Treaty body strengthening update
Under this item, the Committee will discuss issues related to the treaty body strengthening process, including harmonization.