Second Inter-Committee Meeting

of the human rights treaty bodies

Geneva, 18-20 June 2003

provisional agenda AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary‑General

1.The second Inter-Committee Meeting of the human rights treaty bodies will be held from 18 to 20 June 2003, pursuant to a recommendation of the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies during their fourteenth meeting held on 24-26 June 2002.

2.The present document, which was prepared in consultation with the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies, contains the provisional agenda for the second Inter-Committee Meeting.

GE.03-41917

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

Opening of the meeting and election of officers.

Adoption of the agenda.

Organizational matters.

Follow-up to the recommendations of the First Inter-Committee Meeting.

Review of recent development regarding the Secretary-General’s proposal for streamlining of the human rights reporting system.

Adoption of the report and setting of dates for the Third Inter-Committee Meeting.

ANNOTATIONS

Item 1. Opening of the meeting and election of officers

The meeting will convene at the United Nations Office at Geneva (Palais Wilson) on Wednesday, 18 June 2003, at 10 a.m. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the meeting will be elected.

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.

Item 4. Follow-up to the recommendations of the First Inter-Committee Meeting.

Participants will review the follow-up to the recommendations they made at the First Inter-Committee Meeting in June 2002.

Item 5. Review of recent development regarding the Secretary-General’s proposal for streamlining of the human rights reporting system.

The topic of discussion is the streamlining of reporting procedures and the harmonization of working methods between treaty bodies, in light of the Secretary-General’s proposals contained in his report Strengthening of the United Nations: an agenda for further change (A/57/387). Background documents for discussion are a paper, prepared by the Secretariat, outlining past discussions within the UN system (HRI/ICM/2003/3) and the report of an informal Brainstorming Meeting, held in Malbun, Liechtenstein from 4-7 May 2003 (HRI/ICM/2003/6). The recommendations of the Second Inter-Committee Meeting will contribute to continuing discussions during the fifteenth meeting of Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies to be held in Geneva from 23-27 June 2003.

Item 7. Adoption of the report and setting of dates for the Third Inter-Committee Meeting.

Participants will adopt a report on their meeting, including conclusions and recommendations, and set dates for the Third Inter-Committee Meeting.

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