The participation of the INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL SUPPORTING FAIR TRIAL and HUMAN RIGHTS in The organizational meeting for the 10th cycle of Human Rights Council
(Organizational meeting for the 10th Cycle of the Human Rights Council, Palais des Nations, Geneva)
ICSFT took part at the organizational session for the 10th cycle of the Human Rights Council was held on 7 December 2015 at Palais des Nations, Room XX.
During this organizational meeting the Human Rights Council elected its new bureau for the year 2016. In this regard the council started the session by appointing Ambassador Choi Kyong-lim, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations Office at Geneva, to serve as its President for a term beginning on 1 January 2016.
As well Ramón Alberto Morales Quijano of Panama, Janis Karklinš of Latvia, Negash Kebret Botora of Ethiopia, and Bertrand de Crombrugghe of Belgium were appointed to the positions of Vice Presidents to the United Nations’ leading human rights body. Ambassador de Crombrugghe was also elected for the post of the Rapporteur. The candidates will resume their office from 1 January to 31 December 2016 – the Council’s tenth cycle.
Else the members of the Human Rights Council decided that the theme for the 2016 high-level panel on human rights mainstreaming that will be held during the upcoming 31st HRC session on 29 February 2016, will be “the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and human rights, with an emphasis on the right to development”.
The outgoing President of the Human Rights Council Ambassador Joachim Ruecker of Germany said “Our work is important to many people; in particular the many victims of human rights violations and abuses, the many oppressed the many poor and the many suffering from conflict, crisis and terror.” Ambassador Ruecker also emphasized on the key role of Civil society in the work of the Council, and urged member of the council to promote a culture of non-reprisals, free from fear of intimidation, when it comes to civil society, human rights defenders and individuals who seek to cooperate and work with the Council, its mechanisms and procedures. The representative of Ireland also echoed this point and promised to continue Ireland’s effort towards promoting and protecting Civil Society space at the Council.
The incoming Council President-elect Ambassador Choi acknowledged the invaluable accomplishments of the Council in its first ten years, and vowed to carry on the work of the Council, in particular to synergize efforts towards real world impact in terms of protection and promotion of human rights. He further stated “Challenges ahead of us are many… Issues of immediate concern like terrorism, climate change and migration bring with them a host of new and complex human rights considerations that cannot be overlooked.”
The programme of work for the year 2016 will be adopted during the Council’s next organizational meeting on 12 January 2016.
