Seventh session of the Human Rights Council:  Accreditation

Accreditation procedures

1. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) wishing to accredit representatives to the seventh session of the Human Rights Council are invited to send their request to the secretariat of the Human Rights Council (by fax) to the attention of Mr. Michael Armstrong:

Until 29 February 2008
Fax: +41 22 917 90 11
| Telephone: +41 22 917 92 69
From 3 to 28 March 2008
Fax: +41 22 917 04 94
| Telephone: +41 22 917 15 25/92 69

2. The letter requesting accreditation must contain the following elements:

(a) Request is submitted on the official letterhead of the organization;

(b) Request clearly states the title and duration of the session the organization wishes to attend, e.g. “[Name of NGO], in consultative status with the ECOSOC, wishes to send the following members to attend the seventh session of the Human Rights Council (3 to 28 March 2008) ...”;

(c) Request must be signed by the President or the Main Representative of the organization in Geneva;

(d) Request should also indicate the name/s (first name and family name) of the person/s who will represent the organization at the Human Rights Council session. Names of persons must appear exactly as they appear in identification documents; family name(s) must to be capitalized.

It is important to ensure that the name(s) of those members already in possession of a valid identity badge issued by the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) Security and Safety Section, and who plan to attend the seventh session of the Human Rights Council, is/are also included in the accreditation letter, with an indication that the person(s) holds an annual badge:

(a) Annual or temporary representatives of NGOs in possession of an identity badge issued by the UNOG Security and Safety Section and valid for the duration of the session will have unrestricted access to the conference rooms.

(b) Participants without a UNOG identification badge should apply in person at the “Pregny Gate” security entrance, 8-14 avenue de La Paix. Upon presentation of identification and a copy of the letter of accreditation, a photo-badge valid for the duration of the Human Rights Council session will be issued.

The accreditation office of the Human Rights Council will be located at the “Pregny Gate” security entrance and will be open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00 for the duration of the session.

List of participants

3. The secretariat wishes to announce that the so-called “orange registration forms” previously distributed by Conference Services during the session, will no longer be in use. Therefore, in order to register names for the list of attendance, participants are kindly asked to announce themselves to the secretariat, through a letter of accreditation addressed to Mr. Michael Armstrong, telephone: +41 22 917 92 69, fax: +41 22 917 90 11/917 04 94.

Access to the public gallery

4. The secretariat wishes to remind all persons who wish to observe the proceedings of the Human Rights Council without being accredited as participants (mainly students, researchers and academics) that there are a limited number of seats in the Public Gallery, above the conference room. Individuals or groups who wish to attend are required to send a letter (24 hours before the desired date) to the secretariat, containing the following information:

(a) Date(s) of the visit;

(b) Purpose of the visit; and

(c) Full name(s) of those wishing to attend.

Access to the public gallery will be granted depending on the availability of seating and other circumstances.

Further information for NGOs

Renewal of the designation of representatives

5. NGOs are reminded that each year they need to send information concerning their organization and renew the designation of representatives to the United Nations, by completing the DESA/NGO/2008 form, as from 1 January of the current year. This form can be found on the following website: http://www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo

6. When completed, the form must be returned by fax or by mail to: NGO Liaison Unit, Office of the Director-General, United Nations Office in Geneva, Palais des Nations, Room 155, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland; Fax: +41 22 917 05 83; Tel: +41 22 917 21 27; E-mail: ungeneva.ngoliaison@unog.ch.

Requests for travel visas

7. NGOs wishing to request a “certificate of attestation” in order to facilitate obtaining their visas must send their requests to the NGO Liaison Office two weeks in advance of their participation to the Human Rights Council session.

Parallel events

8. Persons not accredited to the Human Rights Council session, who are invited to take part in parallel meetings, should go with identification to the “Pregny Gate” security entrance where they will be issued with a “Parallel Event” photo-badge. The NGO in charge of organizing the meeting is requested to provide the secretariat with a complete list of its guests at least 48 hours prior to the day of the meeting.