The strategy meeting of yesterday, 16 March 2006, intended to offer NGOs an opportunity to discuss questions and concerns regarding their contribution and inputs to the upcoming Commission on Human Rights. The session was held immediately before a meeting of the Expanded Bureau of the Commission with NGO representatives.

After a short introduction of Renate Bloem, President of CONGO, and Peter Prove, President of the Lutheran World Federation, highlighting the goal of this meeting as a coordinated approach for interaction between the CHR Expanded Bureau and NGOs, the floor was given to the participants.

With the perspective of a shorter session of the Commission on Human Rights, present NGOs were most worried about the possible absence of an interactive dialogue with mandate holders of special procedures. The question which was raised several times was the possibility for NGOs to participate in a shorter Commission. As Chris Sidoti (International Service on Human Rights) and others mentioned, currently, certainty must be the most important request. Indeed there were only a very few non-Geneva-based NGOs present, most of them "are still waiting for a signal to come", as Renate Bloem, president of CONGO stated.

Different NGOs consensually emphasized the importance that the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as well as the Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance be adopted by the Commission at its present session. These two standard setting texts, seen as a result of years of hard work, need to be adopted as soon as possible.

The status of the reports of the Special Procedures were consensually considered as most worrying, as for instance the spokesmen from Baha'i International Community as well as the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) made clear. If the reports aren't heard within the timeframe of the Commission, they are no longer up to date. Not only it would be a waste of time and money, but it expresses a wrong political signal.

A time frame of at least one hour for each Rapporteur within a shorter Commission was suggested (FIDH).

The status of the Sub-Commission was also mentioned as a strong concern of the NGO community. As Peter Prove stated, it is necessary to avoid procedural lapses.

The NGO meeting with the Expanded Bureau of the 62nd CHR was opened by its Chairperson, Mr. Manuel Rodríguez-Cuadros. He highlighted the four most important features of the recently adopted Council on Human Rights. This included the higher rank of the Council, the duty of states to cooperate with the system, the much stronger review mechanism and the transfer of responsibility from the Commission to the Council on Human Rights.

The Chairman stressed that the Bureau is currently discussing about the agenda. Cleary, he stated, the Commission will be shorter than five weeks. In addition he mentioned the high possibility for a more procedural content of the Commission.

NGOs then expressed their concerns related to their participation in a shorter Commission. In particular, there was a strong voice concerning the necessity of the adoption of the Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples as well as the Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance within the frame of the Commission. As Simia Sahmadi of FIDH pointed out, it is no longer acceptable for the victims to wait.

Once more the Bureau made sure that all concerns are dealt with and that it is prioritized that the Commission on Human Rights will close in a dignified way.

Worryingly, Mr. Ian M. de Jong, Regional Coordinator of the Western Group, was pushing for a 'rationalization' process among NGOs. This statement goes along with another suggestion of a Bureau member to have one single statement on behalf of all NGOs.

As the strategy meeting among NGOs made clear, Diane Alai, representative of Baha'i International Community stated once more the difficulties for NGOs to agree on a joint statement. It is therefore more than necessary for NGOs to debate among themselves about the upcoming Commission as well as perspectives and expectations towards the new Council.

The Expanded Bureau of the 62nd CHR had a closed meeting right afterwards.

Until today, 17 March, it hasn't decided what the Commission will look like.

Source: The Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO)