The Fifth regular Session will be from 11 to 18 June 2007, following which it will conclude its first year of work. The provisional agenda stipulates the following agenda items: 1) Adoption of the agenda and organization of work, 2) Implementation of GA resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 entitled ‘Human Rights Council’, and 3) Report to the GA on the Fifth Session of the Council. During the session those Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts who did not present their reports at the Fourth Session will participate in Interactive Dialogue, including Leandro Despouy (on ‘Independence of Judges and Lawyers’), Doudou Diène (on ‘Racism’), Miloon Kothari (on ‘Adequate Housing’), Arjun Sengupta (on ‘Extreme Poverty’) and Yash Ghai (on Cambodia). Head of the Fact Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun, Archbiship Desmond Tutu will also give a report.

Moreover, in addition to a key focus on ‘institution-building’, upon adoption by the Council, the outcome documents of the various Working Groups on review of mechanisms and mandates, the Universal Periodic Review and the ‘new agenda and rules of procedure of the Council’ will be put forward to the UN General Assembly.

UNPO will follow developments at the Fifth Session closely to report on issues of particular relevance to UNPO Members, in particular the outcome on the question of the ‘mechanisms and mandates’ which includes the issue of Special Rapporteurs and the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations.