INTERNATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF
NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PROMOTION AND
PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ICC)
Office of the ICC Chairperson
Dr Mousa Burayzat
DRAFT
RECORD OF DECISIONS
ICC Bureau Meeting
May 2012, Geneva Switzerland
Opening Speeches:
ICC Chairperson
Chief, National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section
Welcome:Ms Rosslyn Noonan, Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) welcomed representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), ICC Regional Chairpeople, Bureau members, and Observers to the March 2012 ICC Bureau meeting, and a special welcome to those attending for the first time, Dr Mousa Burayzat, Jordan National Centre for Human Rights and Dr Ramiro Rivadeneira Silva, Defensor del Pueblo, Ecuador.
MrVladlen Stefanov, Head of the OHCHR National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section (NIRMS) and Ms Noonan spoke in the opening session.
Participants:
Bureau members:
Adv. Mabedle Laurence Mushwana, South Africa; Mr Koffi Kounte, Togo; Sr Ramiro Rivadeneira Silva, Ecuador; Mr Oscar Humberto Luna, ElSalvador; MrGerardo Gil Valdivia (representing Dr Raul Plascencia Villaneuva), Mexico; Justice Gopinathan Balakrishnan Konakupakattil, India; Dr Mousa Burayzat, Jordan; Mr Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, Malaysia; Ms Joanna Collinge, New Zealand; ProfAmara Pongsapich, Thailand; DrJonas Christoffersen, Denmark; Mr Michel Forst, France; M. Jean-Paul Lehners, Luxembourg; Prof Alan Miller, Scotland
In attendance: Professor Byung-Chul Hyun, Korea; Rishi Pal, India; P.C. Sharma, India; Ms Paulina Salazar, Ecuador; Mr Mohd Azizi Azmi, Mr Malaysia; Mohd Hairul Harris, Malaysia; Ms Fabienne Rossler, Luxembourg; Mr Poowadol Weerawedphisai, Thailand; Ms Supattra Limpabandhu, Thailand; Mr Weerawit Weeranworawit, Thailand; Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh; Mr Bem Angwa, Nigeria; Ms Bushra Al Shabout, Jordan; Ms Mariyam Azra Ahmed, Maldives; Mr David Langtry, Canada; Ms Myriam Montrat, Canada; MsMonette Maillet, Canada; Ms Elmira Suleymanova, Azerbaijan; Mr Zaur Valimammadi, Azerbaijan; Ms Mira Seo, Korea; Mr Jin Pyo Hong, Korea; Abdulbaset Abumzirig, Libya; Ms Karen Yasmin Hernandez; El Salvador; Mr Tomas Foldas, Slovakia; Ms Barabara Ostvercha, Slovakia; Abozer Elligai, Sudan; Ms Arberita Kryeziu, Kosovo; Mr Niman Hajdari, Kosovo; Mr Kieran Fitzpatrick, APF; Ms Pip Dargan APF; Ms Cathy Branson, Australia; Ms Padma Raman, Australia; Ms Samar Tarawneh, Jordan; Ms Katharina Rose, ICC Geneva Representative
National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Unit, OHCHR
Mr Vladlen Stefanov; Ms Lisa Sekaggya; Mr Bamazi Tchaa
Regional Coordinators: Francisco Bonilla, Network of the Americas ; Gilbert Sebihogo, Secretariat of African NHRIs; Bruce Adamson, European Group of NHRIs; Mr Kieren Fitzpatrick, Asia Pacific Forum
Apologies:
Dr Anselmo Sella, Argentina; Dr Raul Plascencia Villanueva, Mexico
Agenda
The ICC Bureau adopted the proposed agenda
Record of Decisions October 2011 ICC Bureau Meeting
- The ICC Bureau received and confirmed the Record of Decisions from the October 2011 ICC Bureau meeting held in Seoul
ICC Strategic & Operational Plans 2010-2011: Progress Report
a)The ICC Bureau received and endorsed the Progress Report on the Operational Plan for the period September 2011 to December 2011.
The ICC Bureau received and endorsed the verbal update by ICC Chair and Geneva Representative on progress covering the period January to March 2012 including annexes I & II
b)International Conference
The ICC Bureau received the notification that the ICC International Conference on the theme of women and girls and gender equality will be held in Jordan from 5 to 7 November 2012 and that the ICC Bureau meeting will be on 5 November. Regional chairs and any ICC members interested in contributing to the programme advisory group are invited to indicate their interest to the ICC Chair and NIRMS.
Strategic Planning
The ICC Bureau received the ICC Operational Plan for November 2011-March 2013 and endorsed the recommendations contained therein:
Human Rights Council resolution
To support the development of a resolution on NHRIs at the 20th session of the Human Rights Council in June 2012
To request members to promote the ICC position with their Government representatives in both capital and Geneva, with a view to ensuring broad and cross-regional co-sponsorship, and to request ICC Regional Chairs and Coordinators to ensure effective communications and coordination between the ICC Chair, ICC Bureau and ICC members to this effect
Strategic engagement in Geneva including Human Rights Council
To continue strategic engagement with the Human Rights Council; promote the implementation of the outcomes of the HRC review; to deliver statements and host side events at the HRC June session on business and human rights and the UN Secretary General reports on NHRIs; to deliver statements at the session of the Expert Mechanism on Indigenous Peoples in July and at the HRC September session on indigenous peoples
To continue strategic engagement with the treaty bodies and contribute to the reform process; to contribute to the annual meetings of treaty bodies and special procedures in July and ensure ICC representation at these events
Strategic engagement in New York
To support strategic engagement and intensified presence of NHRIs in New York as follows:
1. Commission on the Status of Women, 56th session, from 27 February to 9 March;
2. Permanent Forum on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 11th session, 7 to 18 May;
3. Third Committee, September through December;
4. Working Group on Ageing (dates tbc);
5. States Parties Conference to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 5th session, 12 to 14 September.
To support activities as follows: 1) meetings with State representatives, UN departments and secretariats of key meetings and Conferences, NGOs; 2) formal and informal contributions by NHRIs and the ICC and regional coordinating bodies to UN conferences and meetings; 3) an advocacy strategy to promote knowledge around NHRIs, for instance through the organization of side events; and 4) diversity in ICC representation, including by ICC Chairperson, ICC Secretary and ICC Regional Chairs.
To request ICC members to advise the ICC Chair and Geneva Representative about plans to attend meetings in New York so as to ensure most effective coordination of ICC activities and representation
To establish an ICC Working Group on Ageing, comprised of representatives of all four ICC regions, to advocate for NHRIs' recognition at the UN Working Group on Ageing (UN WG), and coordinate NHRI contributions to the work of the UN WG
Treaty Body Reform
The ICC Bureau agreed to endorse the Dublin Statement with the Marrakech Declaration, as the basis for the ICC’s engagement on Treaty Body reform at the UN General Assembly, and with the President of the General Assembly.
ICC Working Group on NHRI recognition by the UN
The ICC Bureau thanked the members of the ICC Working Group for their contributions to ICC strategic engagement and advocacy for NHRI recognition of the independent status of NHRIs before all UN bodies and agencies, and requested the Working Group to continue its activities
The ICC Bureau thanked the APF secretariat for co-ordinating the CSW engagement in New York.
ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights
The ICC Bureau agreed to include a reference to Working Group on Business and Human Rights in the Operational Plan under Strategic Objective 4.
Promoting knowledge and understanding about NHRIs
The ICC Bureau agreed to include in the Operational Plan under Strategic Objective 3 the proposal that ICC promote knowledge and understanding about NHRIS, the accreditation process and the Paris Principles.
ICC Administration: Finance Committee report; Fundraising implementation update; ICC Geneva Representative position
- The ICC Bureau received and endorsed the ICC Budget for 2012.
- The ICC Bureau received the ICC Finance Committee report and endorsed the recommendations contained therein.
- The ICC Bureau considered and formally accepted the ICC audited accounts for 2011.
- The ICC Bureau considered and formally accepted the ICC financial procedures as outlined in the report.
- The ICC Bureau agreed that until they have arrived at satisfactory arrangements with the Finance Committee, those NHRIs which are in arrears could have their rights and privileges limited.
Proposed amendments to the ICC statute
The ICC Bureau received and agreed to the following amendments to the ICC statute and recommended them to the General Meeting:
1. providing the ICC General Meeting with the power to determine both when and where to hold an International Conference. The proposal is as follows:
That the ICC may convene a triennial international Conference in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of International Conference of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
2. defining the ‘exceptional circumstances’ that may lead to the urgent suspension of a member’s accreditation status pursuant to Article 18. The proposal is as follows.
For the purposes of article 18.2 and 18.3, an “exceptional circumstance” refers to a sudden and drastic change in the internal political order of a state such as:
a break in the constitutional or democratic order; or
a declared state of emergency; or
gross violations of human rights;
and this is accompanied by any of the following:
there is a change in the NHRI enabling legislation or other applicable law that is contrary to the Paris Principles; or
there is change in the composition of the NHRI that is not undertaken in accordance with the established selection and /or appointment process; or
the NHRI acts in a way that seriously compromises its compliance with the Paris Principles.
3. requesting the ICC Chairperson to develop a paper for discussion at ICC 26 on the eligibility criteria and related issues for election to the position of ICC Chairperson and Secretary (Vice-Chairperson).
4. changing the address of the registered office of the ICC as follows:
The registered office of the ICC is in Geneva, Switzerland.
5. amending the provisions in the ICC statute providing for Arabic as a fourth ICC working language as follows:
- Amend Article 3 to insert an additional official logo with the text “INTERNATIONAL
PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (ICC)” in Arabic:
- Amend Article 42, by inserting the word ‘Arabic’ as follows:
As a result, documents from the ICC should be available in these languages.
- Amend Article 50.1, by inserting the word ‘Arabic’ as follows:
Bureau. As a result, documents from the ICC should be available in these
Languages.
Sub Committee On Accreditation Report
The ICC Bureau received the SCA report on the May and October 2011 sessions
The ICC Bureau received the SCA report on the development of draft General Observations.