Information for National Human Rights Institutions

The 11th session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to take place 2 – 19 June 2009 at Palais des Nations in Geneva, in Room XX.

Access to relevant information on the Web

Documents for the Session will be available on the Council’s webpage and the HRC Extranet.

To access the HRC Extranet, select the link on the left hand toolbar of the OHCHR Council webpage (www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/11session/index.htm)

When prompted, enter:

1. Username: hrc extranet
2. Password: 1 session

NHRIs are strongly encouraged to consult the HRC Extranet, as well as the OHCHR Council website on a regular basis, as they are regularly updated as and when documentation becomes available.

A live Webcast service will be available on the Council’s webpage, covering the plenary session online. This service will be available at: www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/

Accreditation of NHRIs

Participation of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) shall be afforded to:

• those institutions which are accredited by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) as in compliance with the Paris Principles ("A status" institutions);
• the ICC as the representative body of NHRIs globally;
• regional coordinating committees of NHRIs, speaking on behalf of "A status” institutions, in line with the strict criteria agreed upon by the ICC at its 19th session in March 2007.

NHRIs granted “A status” by the ICC that wish to accredit representatives to the 11th session of the Human Rights Council should send a letter of request(s) by fax prior to the beginning of the session.

The accreditation request should:

• be submitted on official letterhead;
• clearly state the title and the dates of the session the NHRI wishes to attend, e.g. “[Insert name of NHRI] with A Status Accreditation by the ICC, wishes to send the following members to attend the [insert relevant session number] session of the Human Rights Council ([insert dates of session])…”;
• be signed by the President or main representative of the NHRI;
• indicate the first name and family name of the person(s) who will represent the NHRI at the Council session (NB: names must appear exactly as they appear on the person’s ID document and family names must be capitalized).

Accreditation request letters should be faxed to Ms. Minka Duncker at: +41 (0) 22 928 9018. In case of difficulties, she may be contacted by email at mduncker@ohchr.org or by phone at: +41 22 928 9 164.
NHRI representatives that do no already have a UNOG identity badge should apply in person to the security entrance at Pregny Gate, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix (open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 17.00 pm non-stop, throughout the session). Representatives must present an identity document and a copy of the accreditation request letter. They will then be issued with an appropriate photo-badge (designating participants as a NHRI, the International Coordinating Committee of NHRIs, or other coordinating committee of NHRIs, respectively) that will be valid for the duration of the Council session.

NHRI documentation

In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, "A status" NHRIs are entitled to submit documentation for the Council sessions. Examples of the type of documents NHRIs may submit include reports, policy papers, etc. The documents:

1. should relate to a particular HRC agenda item
2. will receive an official UN document symbol (e.g. A/HRC/../ NI/..)
3. will not be edited
4. will not be translated (should therefore be in English, French or Spanish)
5. should not exceed a reasonable number of pages (i.e. 30-40 pages maximum)

The deadline for submitting documents for the 11th session of the Human Rights Council is Friday, 22 May 2009.

Documents should be emailed to mduncker@ohchr.org and copied to niconsultant@ohchr.org. When emailing documents, please indicate which agenda item they should be made available under.

NHRI written statements

NHRIs with "A status" ICC accreditation may submit written statements to the Council. Statements should be no longer than 2,000 words and should be relevant to the Council's Programme of Work for its 11th session. Please refer to the Guidelines available on the Council’s webpage for more information on the written statements.

Written statements should be sent electronically to mduncker@ohchr.org, copied to niconsultant@ohchr.org.

Please kindly note that the deadline for submitting written statements for the 11th session of the Human Rights Council is Friday, 22 May 2009. The Secretariat will not be able to ensure the timely processing and circulation of statements submitted late.

NHRI oral interventions

All representatives of “A status” NHRIs, the ICC, or regional coordinating committees addressing the Council must be accredited for the Council session (see procedure above).

Accredited representatives wishing to make an oral intervention are requested to fill out the NHRI statement form and deliver it by hand to the List of Speakers Desk during the Council session, which will be set up in the front of the plenary room. Please also note that there is a pre-inscription fax form, which should be sent to the Secretariat prior to the start of the Council session.

Accredited representatives making an oral statement are responsible for bringing 250 copies of their statement, if they want it distributed in the room.

Accredited NHRIs may speak on behalf of other “A status” NHRIs. In such a case, the statement should clearly indicate on whose behalf it is read. The ICC and regional coordinating committees may speak on behalf of their member NHRIs that are in full conformity with the Paris Principles, evidenced by an "A status" accreditation with the ICC. At the beginning of the statement the names of the NHRIs on whose behalf they speak must be stated. All of these NHRIs should previously have expressed their agreement with the content of the statement in writing.

NHRI parallel events

NHRIs accredited for the 11th session of the Council may organize parallel events of relevance to the work of the Human Rights Council, taking into account availability of rooms. The relevant forms for booking rooms and annexed guidelines on how to fill out the forms are available on the webpage of the Human Rights Council's 11th session at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/11session/events.htm.

Room booking requests will be received by the Secretariat from now, 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 prior to the session at Fax: + 41 (0) 22 917 90 11 or Tel:   +41 (0) 22 917 96 41.

Please be advised that the Secretariat does not provide interpretation for parallel meetings. NHRIs should therefore provide 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 NHRI 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 to Fax: +41 (0)22 917 90 11.

Persons not accredited to the Council 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.

OHCHR's National Institutions Unit stands ready to assist National Human Rights Institutions and answer their queries and may be contacted at:

Ms. Allison Corkery
E-mail : niconsultant@ohchr.org
Tel:   +41 (0)22 928 9 664