PRST/29/1 Enhancing the efficiency of the Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council Twenty-ninth session

Agenda item 1

Statement by the President

PRST 29/1. Enhancing the efficiency of the Human Rights Council

At the 45th meeting, held on 3 July 2015, the President of the Human Rights

Council made the following statement:

“The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming General Assembly resolutions 60/251 of 15 March 2006 and 65/281

of 17 June 2011, and Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 of 18 June 2007, on the

institution-building package, and 16/21 of 25 March 2011, on the review of the work

and functioning of the Council,

Acknowledging that the Human Rights Council should continue to be efficient

and effective in fulfilling its mandate, as outlined by the General Assembly in its

resolution 60/251,

1. Decides to improve further the voluntary yearly calendar for thematic

resolutions of the Human Rights Council, in accordance with Council resolution 16/21,

in consultation with the main sponsors, and encourages States to consider voluntarily

the biennialization and triennialization of their initiatives;

2. Also decides that the Bureau shall, in consultation with Member States,

while keeping the Consultative Group and special procedures mandate holders duly

informed, make recommendations and identify modalities to adjust the terms of

mandate holders on an exceptional one-time basis, in order to better spread the

appointment process over time, namely, across Council cycles, and present those

recommendations to the Council at its thirtieth session for its consideration and

appropriate decision;

3. Further decides that candidates shortlisted by the Consultative Group may

request to be interviewed in any official language of the United Nations;

4. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human

Rights to develop, manage and support, as soon as possible and no later than the thirty-

first session, a more distinguishable, accessible and user-friendly webpage, in all

official languages of the United Nations from within existing resources, for the Human

Rights Council, its mechanisms and procedures, including a user-friendly extranet;

United Nations A/HRC/PRST/29/1

General Assembly

5. Stresses the need to respect and implement the provisions of Council

resolutions 5/1 and 16/21 relating to the working culture of the Human Rights Council,

including the need for early notification of proposals, early submission of draft

resolutions and decisions by the end of the penultimate week of regular sessions, and

early distribution of all reports, and to observe the principles of transparency and

inclusiveness with regard to the consultation process.”