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Second information note for NGOs (as of 15 September 2008):
- The 9th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), beginning on 8 September 2008, will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, in Room XVII.
Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 60/251, the participation of NGOs in the Human Rights Council shall be based on the arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996.
- Draft programme of work & timetable:
The most recent draft version of the programme of work is available at the relevant HRC webpage, at the following link:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/9session/PoW.doc
Documentation for the 9 th session as well as additional relevant information is available at relevant HRC webpage, at the following link:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/9session/index.htm
The Secretariat strongly encourages NGOs to consult the relevant OHCHR webpage, as well as the Extranet on a regular basis.
- Accreditation:
NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC wishing to accredit representatives to the 9 th session of the Human Rights Council are invited to send their letter of accreditation request/s to the Secretariat of the Council as of 25 August 2008 by fax, to the attention of Ms. Sophie Reber, the accreditation officer, who can be reached at:
Until 5 September
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 90 11
From 8 September
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 04 94
The letter requesting accreditation should contain the following elements:
- It should be submitted on the official letterhead of the organization;
- It should clearly state the title and duration of the session the organization wishes to attend, e.g. “Name of NGO, in consultative status with ECOSOC, wishes to send the following members to attend the 9 th session of the HRC (beginning on 8 September 2008)…..”;
- The letter needs to be signed by the President or the Main Representative of the organization in Geneva;
- It should also indicate the name/s (first name and family name) of the person/s who will represent the organization at the HRC session:
- Names of persons must appear exactly as they appear in the ID document,
- Family Name(s) have to be capitalized.
NOTE: Please also note that the so-called “orange registration forms” previously distributed by Conference Services during the session, will no longer be in use. The names of participating NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC will be annexed to the formal report of the session.
It is important to ensure that the name(s) of those members already in possession of a valid identity badge issued by UNOG Security and Safety Section, and who plan to attend the 9 th session of HRC, is/are also included in the accreditation letter, with an indication that the person(s) hold(s) an annual badge.
- Annual or temporary representatives of NGOs in possession of an identity badge issued by UNOG Security and Safety Section and valid for the duration of the session, will have unrestricted access to the conference rooms.
- Any other participants without a UNOG identity badge should apply in person to the security entrance at Pregny Gate, 8 – 14 Avenue de la Paix; on presentation of an identity document and a copy of the letter of accreditation, a photo-badge valid for the duration of the Council session will be issued.
The accreditation officer of the Human Rights Council, will be present at the security entrance "Pregny Gate" from Monday to Friday from 8.00 a.m-5.00 p.m. throughout the session.
- NGO oral interventions:
Modalities for NGO oral interventions to be applied at the 9 th session of the Human Rights Council will be posted on the relevant HRC extranet page, under the NGO Liaison information page. Copies of the modalities will also be made available at the List of Speakers desk located by the podium in the plenary room, and at the OHCHR NGO liaison office located behind the List of Speakers desk outside the plenary room.
Inscriptions made in person at the List of Speakers desk, as well as on-line pre-inscriptions from NGOs not based in Switzerland, have to be confirmed in person at the List of Speakers desk 24 hours prior to the time the relevant meeting is scheduled to take place. In the absence of such confirmation, pre-inscriptions will not be taken into account when drawing the list of speakers.
Exceptionally, on Monday 8 September from9.30-10.30 a.m., a List of Speakers desk will be set up by the main entrance outside the plenary room for NGOs to inscribe in person. Only NGOs holding a valid badge of the NGO wishing to inscribe will be accepted.
Further information, as well as relevant registration forms, are available at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/9session/speakers.htm
Please note that 25 copies of the oral statement are to be made available and handed to Conference Services at the beginning of the relevant meeting. Conference Services staff can be approached in the middle of the plenary room. Photocopiers are available outside the OHCHR NGO liaison office.
To take the floor, NGO speakers should use the conference table seat reserved for that purpose.
Copies of NGO oral statements may be placed by NGOs on the table near the main entrance of the plenary room only, after delivery of the relevant statement. NGOs are not permitted to distribute documents, pamphlets or any other material in the conference room. Reserved tables are available by the main entrance outside the plenary room for display of NGO documentation. Such documentation should be attributable to NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC.
As under the arrangements and practices observed by the HRC in its former sessions and by the former Commission on Human Rights, NGOs duly accredited to the 9 th session of the HRC will be able to organize parallel events of relevance to the work of the Human Rights Council, taking into account availability of rooms.
Relevant room booking forms can be found on the HRC-related webpage at the following link:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/9session/events.htm
Room booking requests will be received as of 25 August 2008 by the Secretariat, and will be processed on a first come first serve basis, subject to availability of rooms. All requests should be sent by fax to Ms. Françoise Kenfack, who can be contacted at:
Until 5 th September
Fax: + 41 (0) 22 917 90 11
Tel: + 41 (0) 22 917 96 41
From 8 th September
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 03 55
Tel: +41 (0) 22 917 71 12
NOTE: Kindly also be advised that NGOs wishing to co-sponsor an NGO parallel event should fill the relevant ‘Co-sponsorship Form’, available here: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/9session/NGOcosponsorshipformHRC9.doc. The Secretariat will rely only on the information contained in the co-sponsorship forms for the preparation of the relevant Bulletin of Informal Meetings annexed to the Order of the Day.
Please be advised that the Secretariat does not provide interpretation for NGOs' parallel meetings. NGOs shall therefore bring their own interpreters, if they so wish, and inform the Secretariat accordingly ahead of time. It is reminded that the use of cameras/videos during parallel events is not encouraged. Only journalists and cameramen accredited on a yearly basis with UNOG will be allowed to use camera and video equipment.
The NGO in charge of organizing the meeting is requested to provide the Secretariat ( Ms.Françoise Kenfack, see contact details above) with a complete list of its guests at least 48 hours prior to the day of the meeting. Persons not accredited to the HRC session, who are invited to take part in parallel meetings, should go with an identity document to the Pregny gate, where they will be issued with a "Parallel Event" photo-badge. Please note that the badge will be valid for the duration of the meeting only.
Please note that the NGO liaison team assists the HRC Secretariat in the preparation of the HRC Bulletin of Informal Meetings (BIM), which is being attached to the Order of the Day to inform participants of events held in the margins of the session.
The information regarding such events that ought to be reflected in the BIM is:
- Name of the main organizing NGO (only NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC);
- Name(s) of possible co-sponsoring NGOs (only NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC);
- Confirmed title of the event.
NGOs are kindly requested to provide the NGO liaison team with the above mentioned information 48 hours prior to the holding of their event. This can be done by sharing electronically with the NGO Liaison team a copy of the relevant flyer advertising the NGO event (hrcngo@ohchr.org).
Your cooperation is key if NGO organizers of events wish to ensure accuracy in the BIM.
- Access to relevant information on the Web:
Official information regarding the upcoming session (including the agenda, annotated agenda, information on room reservation and official documentation- including NGO written statements) will be available on the relevant OHCHR webpage http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/9session/events.htm.
Other relevant information, including copies of delivered oral interventions and texts of draft resolutions and decisions, will be regularly posted on the HRC Extranet. The extranet page may be accessed through this link:http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/form.htm
Username: hrc extranet
Password: 1session
A live Webcast service will be available under the Council’s webpage, covering the plenary session online, and will be accessible through this link:
http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/
During the 9 th session of the Human Rights Council, OHCHR's NGO Liaison Officer, Ms. Laura Dolci-Kanaan, will be in charge of facilitating the participation of NGO representatives in the work of the Council. Kindly note the following contact details
- Ms. Elena Kountouri Tapiero, e-mail: ekountouri-tapiero@ohchr.org
(until 5 September) Tel: +41 (0)22 917 96 72
(as of 8 September) Tel: +41 (0)22 917 71 06
- Ms. Laura Dolci-Kanaan, e-mail: ldolci-kanaan@ohchr.org
(as of 12 September) Tel: +41 (0)22 917 71 04
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 03 39
From 8 until 26 September, the NGO Liaison Office will be located with the other HRC Secretariat offices behind the plenary room.
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