Annual Report 2011–2012 ICC Chairperson Rosslyn Noonan, former Chief Commissioner of the New Zealand NHRI handed over leadership of the ICC to Dr Mousa Burayzat, Commissioner General of the Jordan NHRI. Photograph APF. The ICC’s 25th meeting was opened with presentations from Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Laura Dupuy Lasserre, President of the UN Human Rights Council; and Shireen Said, UNDP’s human rights advisor. The four-day gathering considered a broad range of thematic issues relevant to NHRIs in all parts of the world, including: • business and human rights • the environment and human rights • monitoring (with a focus on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and a focus on OPCAT and detention) • the rights of indigenous peoples • transitional justice, and • the right to development. These panel discussions provided opportunities for NHRIs to share their experiences and listen to the perspectives of representatives from leading NGOs and UN agencies. There was also a session on the role of NHRIs in following up recommendations made to States in the first cycle of the UPR and their participation in the second UPR cycle, which begins this year. In addition, a side event was held to discuss issues in relation to the Paris Principles and the ICC’s accreditation system for NHRIs. At the request of the ICC Chairperson, the APF provided preliminary legislative and policy advice to assist the ICC Bureau in formulating proposed changes to the ICC Statute. These changes were successfully adopted at the ICC General Meeting. The APF subsequently provided assistance to ensure the changes were formally recorded with the relevant Swiss authorities. Optional Protocol on the Prevention of Torture Representatives of NHRIs from all parts of the world were among 300 invited delegates to the firstever global forum on the prevention of torture “Preventing Torture, Upholding Dignity: From Pledges to Actions”, held in Geneva from 10–11 November 2011. Organised by the Geneva-based APT, the event was an opportunity to assess progress and challenges five years after OPCAT came into force. The UN Special Rapporteur, Juan Mendez, delivered the keynote address, and former and current members of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture also attended the conference. One of the key discussions during the two-day conference was the use of security concerns to justify torture and ill-treatment of detainees, including in many democratic countries. 4. Engage with regional and international human rights mechanisms | 45