Seventh inter-committee meeting of the human rights treaty bodiesGeneva, 23-25 June 2008

PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND ANNOTATIONS

Note by the Secretary-General

1.The seventh inter-committee meeting of the human rights treaty bodies will be held from 23 to 25 June 2008, pursuant to a recommendation of the chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies made during their nineteenth meeting held on 21 and 22 June 2007.

2.The present document contains the provisional agenda and annotations for the seventh inter‑committee meeting.

PROVISIONAL AGENDA

1.Opening of the meeting and update on the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting.

2.Election of officers.

3.Adoption of the agenda.

4.Organizational matters.

5.Enhancing the effectiveness of the treaty bodies: a coordinated approach to thework of the treaty bodies:

(a)Follow-up to the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting;

(b)Harmonization of working methods.

6.Meeting with United Nations specialized agencies, funds, programmes and other entities.

7.Meeting with non-governmental organizations.

8.Statistical information related to human rights.

9.Adoption of the report.

ANNOTATIONS

Item 1. Opening of the meeting, election of officers and update on the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting

The meeting will convene at the United Nations Office at Geneva (Palais Wilson) on Monday, 23 June 2008, at 10 a.m. The meeting will receive an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting, prior to the election of a new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.

Item 2. Election of officers

The meeting will elect aChairperson and a Vice-Chairperson.

Item 3. Adoption of the agenda

The meeting will adopt its agenda on the basis of the provisional agenda contained in the present document.

Item 4. Organizational matters

Under this agenda item, the meeting will consider and adopt a programme of work.

Item 5. Enhancing the effectiveness of the treaty bodies: a coordinated approach to the work of the treaty bodies:

(a) Follow-up to the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting

Under this agenda item, participants will consider follow-up to the recommendations of the sixth inter ‑committee meeting, held from 18 to 20 June 2007. A report prepared by the Secretariat on implementation of the recommendations of the sixth inter-committee meeting and the nineteenth meeting of chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies (HRI/MC/2008/2), which provides information on the follow-up actions taken by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the treaty bodies with regard to these recommendations, will be provided to participants.

(b) Harmonization of working methods

Under this agenda item, the participants will discuss the working methods of treaty bodies, including coordination and possibilities for harmonization. The meeting will consider a non-paper on possible areas of harmonization prepared by the Secretariat. The meeting will also have before it the updated version of the report on the working methods of the human rights treaty bodies (HRI/MC/2008/4) as well as the updated version of the report on reservations (HRI/MC/2008/5). Participants will, inter alia, meet with the representative of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) in Geneva to discuss enhanced interaction between treaty bodies and national human rights institutions.

Item 6. Meeting with the United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes and other entities

Under this item, United Nations departments, specialized agencies, funds and programmes, and other entities such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, that work with the treaty bodies will discuss the reform of the United Nations system, including possibilities for harmonization of working methods, as well as the universal periodic review mechanism.

Item 7. Meeting with non-governmental organizations

Under this agenda item, non-governmental organizations will provide information on interaction with human rights treaty bodies, and their views on efforts to reform the treaty body system, including possibilities for harmonization of working methods, as well as the universal periodic review mechanism.

Item 8. Statistical information related to human rights

Under this agenda item, participants will receive an update on progress achieved in relation to the use of statistical information, including in the context of country-level consultations to validate the conceptual and methodological framework and the development of further lists of indicators. The meeting will have before it a report on indicators for monitoring compliance with international human rights instruments (HRI/MC/2008/3).

Item 9. Adoption of the report

Participants will adopt a report on their meeting, including conclusions and recommendations which will be transmitted to the twentieth meeting of chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies, to be held in Geneva on 26 to 27 June 2008.

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