RES/16/26 The Social Forum

GE.11-12901

Human Rights Council Sixteenth session Agenda item 5 Human rights bodies and mechanisms

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*

16/26 The Social Forum

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all previous resolutions and decisions adopted on the Social Forum by the Commission on Human Rights and its Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, as well as by the Economic and Social Council,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 of 18 June 2007, 6/13 of 28 September 2007, 10/4 of 25 March 2009, 10/29 of 27 March 2009 and 13/17 of 25 March 2010,

Bearing in mind that the reduction of poverty and the elimination of extreme poverty remain an ethical and moral imperative of humankind, based on the respect for human dignity, and noting the report of the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the 2010 Social Forum,1 held in Geneva from 4 to 6 October 2010, which focused on the adverse effects of climate change on the full enjoyment of human rights, including the right to life and economic, social and cultural rights,

Reaffirming the unique nature within the United Nations of the Social Forum, which makes possible a dialogue and an exchange between the representatives of Member States and civil society, including grass-roots organizations and intergovernmental organizations, and stressing that the current reform of the United Nations should take into account the contribution of the Social Forum as a vital space for open and fruitful dialogue on issues linked with the national and international environment needed for the promotion of the enjoyment of all human rights by all,

1. Takes note of the report of the Chairman-Rapporteur of the 2010 Social Forum;

* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its sixteenth session (A/HRC/16/2), chap. I. 1 A/HRC/16/62 and Corr. 1.

+ United Nations A/HRC/RES/16/26

2. Also takes note of the conclusions and recommendations of the 2010 Social Forum and the innovative nature of many of them, and calls upon States, international organizations, in particular those with a mandate for poverty eradication, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, trade unions and other relevant actors to take them into account when designing and implementing poverty eradication programmes and strategies;

3. Reaffirms the Social Forum as a unique space for interactive dialogue between the United Nations human rights machinery and various stakeholders, including the contribution of civil society and grass-roots organizations, and stresses the need to ensure greater participation of grass-roots organizations and of those living in poverty, particularly women, especially from developing countries, in the sessions of the Forum, and, to this end, considers, inter alia, the possibility of the establishment of a voluntary United Nations fund to contribute to providing resources to these organizations so that they may participate in and contribute to the deliberations of future sessions;

4. Underlines the importance of coordinated efforts at the national, regional and international levels for the promotion of social cohesion based on the principles of social justice, equity and solidarity and of addressing the social dimension and challenges of the ongoing globalization process and the negative impact of the current economic and financial crises;

5. Stresses the need for increased and sustained participation and contribution of civil society and all other relevant actors listed in the present resolution to the promotion and effective realization of the right to development, bearing in mind that 2011 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development;

6. Decides that the Social Forum will meet for three working days in 2011, in Geneva, on dates suitable for the participation of representatives of States Members of the United Nations and of the broadest possible range of other stakeholders, especially from developing countries, and decides that, at its next meeting, the Social Forum should focus on:

(a) The promotion and effective realization of the right to development, in the context of the commemoration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development;

(b) Measures and actions needed to make the right to development a reality for everyone at the local, national, regional and international levels, including the role and contribution of civil society and non-governmental organizations;

(c) International assistance and cooperation, as well as the promotion of an enabling environment for the realization of the right to development;

7. Requests the President of the Human Rights Council to appoint, as early as possible, from candidates nominated by regional groups, the Chairperson-Rapporteur for the 2011 Social Forum, bearing in mind the principle of regional rotation;

8. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to consult all actors identified in the present resolution on the issues referred to in paragraph 6 above, and to submit a report as a background contribution for the dialogues and debates held at the 2011 Social Forum;

9. Also requests the High Commissioner to facilitate participation in the 2011 Social Forum, in order to contribute to interactive dialogues and debate at the Forum and assist the Chairperson-Rapporteur as resource persons, of up to ten experts, including relevant Council thematic procedures mandate holders, in particular the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty and the independent expert on human

rights and international solidarity, as well as relevant representatives from civil society and grass-roots organizations in developing countries;

10. Decides that the Social Forum will remain open to the participation of representatives of States Members of the United Nations and all other interested stakeholders, such as intergovernmental organizations, different components of the United Nations system, especially mandate holders of thematic procedures and mechanisms of the human rights machinery, regional economic commissions and specialized agencies and organizations, as well as representatives designated by human rights national institutions and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and shall also be open to other non-governmental organizations whose aims and purposes are in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular newly emerging actors such as small groups and rural and urban associations from the North and the South, anti-poverty groups, peasants’ and farmers’ organizations and their national and international associations, voluntary organizations, environmental organizations and activists, youth associations, community organizations, trade unions and associations of workers, as well as representatives of the private sector, on the basis of arrangements including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, through an open and transparent accreditation procedure, in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Human Rights Council, while ensuring the most effective contribution of these entities;

11. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to seek effective means of ensuring consultation and the broadest possible participation of representatives from every region, especially those from developing countries, in the Social Forum, including by establishing partnerships with non-governmental organizations, the private sector and international organizations;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to take appropriate measures to disseminate information about the Social Forum, to invite relevant individuals and organizations to the Social Forum and to take all practical measures required for the success of this initiative;

13. Invites the 2011 Social Forum to submit a report containing its conclusions and recommendations to the Human Rights Council;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Social Forum with all the services and facilities necessary to fulfil its activities, and requests the High Commissioner to provide all the support necessary to facilitate the convening and proceedings of the Forum;

15. Decides to continue consideration of this issue under the relevant agenda item when the report of the 2011 Social Forum is submitted to the Human Rights Council.

47th meeting 25 March 2011

[Adopted without a vote.]