International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions “A status” NHRIs may attend informal consultations and working groups that occur before and during HRC sessions. These meetings prepare HRC work, including proposals for resolutions, and negotiate draft resolutions. At the very least, attendance at these meetings gives NHRIs important information about what is developing and what is proposed so that they can be well informed in advocating their views directly with State representatives. At best, attendance gives NHRIs the opportunity to participate directly in the negotiation of proposed resolutions. Often representatives of NHRIs will be given the opportunity to speak in these meetings, adding their views to those of member and observer States and so directly influencing the content of resolutions. “A status” NHRIs may organize parallel events during the period of the HRC session. Parallel events are held in the Palais des Nations, usually close to the HRC meeting room. They provide opportunities to discuss situations and issues that are relevant to the HRC agenda; that is, on any human rights situation or issue. • Parallel events enable lengthier, more detailed and more focused debate of an issue or situation than is possible in the HRC session. Most parallel events occur over a two hour period, most commonly during the lunch breaks in HRC sessions. • Parallel events enable experts on the issue or situation, including victims, to give information, views and analysis. Most of these experts will not be accredited as representatives of States, NHRIs or NGOs and so are unable to address the HRC directly. • Parallel events enable issues to be raised and discussed in the HRC environment that, because of sensitivities or global politics or sheer ignorance or apathy, are not being raised in the HRC plenary itself. Most parallel events take the form of a panel of expert speakers, each of whom presents her or his information and opinions, followed by a period of questions and discussion. They are attended by State representatives, NGO and NHRI representatives and UN officials and so can inform and influence key opinion within the HRC context. Accredited representatives of “A status” NHRIs are permitted to move freely through the Palais des Nations during HRC sessions. They can walk the floor of the HRC meeting room, have coffee with State representatives in the coffee shop, meet in the lobbies and corridors. Accreditation provides not only the right to participate in the HRC but the opportunity of access to key decision makers, both governmental and UN. It permits and enables advocacy on issues of concern to NHRIs. The results of that advocacy can be seen in the strength of resolutions of the HRC and of the Commission on Human Rights before that, since 1995, concerning NHRIs – their importance as official but independent state institutions, the need for them to be established consistently with the requirements of the Paris Principles, their strengthening and so on – and in the wide provisions for their participation in the international human rights system. The participation rights of NHRIs are extended to their international and regional associations.89 The International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) and the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF), along with other regional associations in Africa, the Americas and Europe, can and do make oral and written statements, submit documents, attend consultations and working groups, sponsor parallel events and advocate in and around HRC sessions. The ICC has a permanent representative in Geneva and the APF sends a representative to Geneva regularly. They speak and act on behalf of their member NHRIs collectively but they can also do so on behalf of individual NHRIs. Accredited NHRIs can also speak on behalf of other “A status” NHRIs. These are important opportunities as many NHRIs do not have the resources – financial and personnel – to attend HRC sessions regularly and none has the resources to attend all sessions. 89 See Chapter 15 in this manual for discussion of the international and regional associations of NHRIs. 34 | Chapter 5: Human Rights Council