The Human Rights Council held its third-first regular session from 29 February to 24 March 2016, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
During this session the Council dedicated an expressive space to discuss the rights of persons with disabilities as well as to promote interactive dialogue with Special Procedures. The following relate to persons with disabilities:
PANELS
29 February, Annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming Theme: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and human rights, with an emphasis on the right to development
01 March, High-level panel discussion on the fiftieth anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights: universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights
03 March, Panel discussion on climate change and the right to health
04 March, Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities Theme: Article 11 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies
07 March, Annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child Theme: Information and communications technology and child sexual exploitation
11 March, Panel discussion on the progress in and challenges of addressing human rights issues in the context of efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030
22 March, Annual thematic discussion on technical cooperation Theme: Technical cooperation and capacity-building to promote and protect the rights of all migrants, including women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities
INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE (ID) with the following SPECIAL PROCEDURES
(Only the ones that have worked on the rights of persons with disabilities are mentioned):
3 March - Special Rapporteurs on environment and on Adequate Housing
4 March - Special Rapporteurs on the rights of persons with disabilities and on albinism
7 March - Special Rapporteur on right to food
8 March - Special Rapporteur on violence against children and on torture
10 March - Special Rapporteur on cultural rights
RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions to be presented to the HRC 31st session.
Only resolutions related to the rights of persons with disabilities are mentioned. (States sponsoring the resolution in brackets).
· Resolution on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Mexico and New Zealand)
· Resolution on the right to adequate housing (Finland, Germany, Brazil)
· Resolution on the right to work (Egypt, Greece)
· Resolution on promoting human rights through sport in the Olympic ideal (Greece, Brazil, Congo, Japan, Morocco, Republic of Korea)
· Resolution on the role of good governance (Poland, Australia, Chile, Republic of Korea, South Africa)
· Resolution on the prevention of torture (Denmark)
· Resolution on economic, social and cultural rights (Portugal)
· Resolution on human rights education training (Morocco, Senegal, Switzerland, Slovenia, Thailand)
· Resolution on the protection of the environment (Slovenia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Maldives, Switzerland)
· Resolution on human rights defenders working on economic, social and cultural rights (Norway)
Due to lack of human resources, IDA secretariat will not be able to follow and influence all resolutions.
UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW (UPR)
Working Group reports on the following States will be considered: Micronesia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nauru, Rwanda, Nepal, Austria, Australia, Georgia, Saint Lucia, Oman, Myanmar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome & Principe
SIDE EVENTS
Our side events will be webcast at www.treatybodywebcast.org
(And all times are Geneva-based)
02 March, 10am to noon
Creating and Supporting Enabling Work Environments for Persons with Disabilities
Hosted by Viet Nam and Australia with the support of Fiji, Finland, Mexico, New Zealand, International Disability Alliance and International Labour Organization
03 March, 10am to 11.30 am
Human Rights and Sustainable Development Goals – Mutual reinforcement for persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities
Hosted by EU, OHCHR, IDA, IDDC, with the support of Algeria, Australia, Chile, Canada, Indonesia and Japan.
04 March, 12pm to 2pm
The promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies
Hosted by OHCHR, UNHCR and IDA with the support of Algeria, Australia, Finland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Thailand
09 March, 12pm to 2pm
Inclusive Education and ICTs for All: Towards Accessible and Sustainable Societies
Hosted by Austria and IDA with the support of Australia, Canada, China, Ecuador, Finland, Italy, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, the International Telecommunication Union and other missions (TBC), with support of the Zero Project, an initiative of the Essl Foundation, in partnership with the World Future Council & the European Foundation Centre.
All official sessions will be webcast at http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/
Follow us at https://twitter.com/IDA_CRPD_Forum
Our side events will be webcast at www.treatybodywebcast.org
Accessibility to HRC meetings
The Accessibility guide to the Human Rights Council for persons with disabilities.
Copies in print and braille are available by contacting the accessibility focal point, further informations are available at: www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/AboutCouncil.aspx
About the Human Rights Council
From January 2016, Choi Kyong-lim, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations Office at Geneva, is the President of the Council.
The Council’s four Vice Presidents are Ramón Alberto Morales Quijano of Panama, Janis Karklins of Latvia, Negash Kebret Botora of Ethiopia and Bertrand de Crombrugghe of Belgium. Bertrand de Crombrugghe of Belgium is the Rapporteur of the Council.
During its thirty-first session, the Council is comprised of the following 47 countries:
Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Burundi, China, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Viet Nam.
