RES/2/1 Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review of Mandates

Human Rights Council

Resolution 2/1. Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review of Mandates

The Human Rights Council,

Bearing in mind paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006 in which the Assembly decided that the Council should improve and rationalize all mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities of the Commission on Human Rights in order to maintain a system of special procedures, expert advice and a complaint procedure,

Recalling its decision 1/104 of 30 June 2006, in which it decided to establish the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the issue of reviewing and, where necessary, improving and rationalizing all human rights mandates, mechanisms, functions and responsibilities,

Taking note of the draft manual of the United Nations human rights special procedures of June 2006, revised by the Coordination Committee of the special procedures, and the decision taken at the thirteenth meeting of the special procedures to submit the manual to Governments and other stakeholders for comments and inputs,

1. Requests the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review of Mandates to review the revised draft manual of the United Nations human rights special procedures of June 2006 and to make recommendations on possible additions or amendments thereto;

2. Also requests the Coordinating Committee of the special procedures to extend until the closure of the fourth session of the Human Rights Council, which will be held from 12 March to 6 April 2007, the deadline for the submission of comments and inputs to the draft manual of special procedures;

3. Further requests the Working Group to draft a code of conduct regulating the work of the special procedures, taking into account, inter alia, the suggestions made by the members of the Council during the discussions at its second session on the reports of the special procedures mandate holders, as well as at previous formal and informal sessions of the Working Group;

4. Invites the Working Group to report to the Human Rights Council at its fourth session on the progress achieved in the implementation of the present resolution.

Adopted by a recorded vote of 30 votes to 15,

with 2 abstentions.

31st meeting

27 November 2006

[In favour: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Zambia.

Against: Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Abstaining: Argentina, Uruguay.]

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