RES/6/13 The Social Forum

Human Rights Council

Resolution 6/13. The Social Forum

The Human Rights Council,

Recalling all previous resolutions and decisions adopted on this issue by the

former Commission on Human Rights and its Sub-Commission on the Promotion and

Protection of Human Rights, as well as by the Economic and Social Council,

Recalling also its resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007,

Bearing in mind that the reduction of poverty and the elimination of extreme

poverty remain an ethical and moral imperative of humankind, based on respect for

human dignity, and noting the report of the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the fourth

Social Forum, held on 3 and 4 August 2006, which focused on “The fight against

poverty and the rights to participation: the role of women”,

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, 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. Welcomes the report of the fourth Social Forum held in Geneva on 3

and 4 August 2006 submitted by the Chairman-Rapporteur (A/HRC/Sub.1/58/15);

2. Takes note with satisfaction of the conclusions and recommendations

of the 2006 Social Forum and of 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. Decides to preserve the Social Forum as a unique space for interactive

dialogue between the United Nations human rights machinery and various

stakeholders, including grass-roots organizations, and underlines the importance of

coordinated efforts at national, regional and international levels for the promotion of

social cohesion based on the principles of social justice, equity and solidarity as well

as to address the social dimension and challenges of the ongoing globalization process;

4. Decides also that the Social Forum shall continue meeting every year,

requests that the next meeting of the Social Forum be held during 2008, in Geneva, on

dates suitable for the participation of representatives of United Nations Member States

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) Questions relating to the eradication of poverty in the context of human

rights;

(b) Capturing best practices in the fight against poverty in the light of

grass-roots presentations to the Social Forum;

(c) Social dimension of the globalization process;

5. Decides further that the Social Forum will meet for three working days,

in order that it may devote:

(a) One day to thematic discussions on poverty and human rights and the

work of the international human rights mechanisms in the field of economic, social

and cultural rights and the right to development in relation to poverty, in order to

receive feedback from civil society to provide to different mechanisms;

(b) One day to discussion on the social dimension of the globalization

process;

(c) One day to an interactive debate with relevant thematic procedures

mandate holders of the Human Rights Council on issues related to the topics of the

Social Forum, and to formulating conclusions and recommendations to be presented

to relevant bodies through the Human Rights Council;

6. Requests the President of the Human Rights Council to appoint, before

the end of 2007, from candidates nominated by regional groups, the Chairperson-

Rapporteur for the 2008 Social Forum and decides to respect the principle of regional

rotation while appointing the chairpersons-rapporteurs of the Social Forum in the

future;

7. Invites the appointed Chairperson-Rapporteur to announce, in a timely

manner, the most appropriate dates for convening the 2008 Social Forum, after

holding consultations with United Nations Member States and other stakeholders;

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 4 above and to present a report as a background contribution for the

dialogues and debates that will be held at the 2008 Social Forum;

9. Requests also the High Commissioner for Human Rights to facilitate

the participation in the 2008 Social Forum, to assist the Chairperson-Rapporteur as

resource persons, of up to four relevant Human Rights 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;

10. Decides that the Social Forum will remain open for participation of

representatives of United Nations Member States 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, specialized agencies and

organizations - in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the World

Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization, as well as

representatives designated by human rights national institutions and non-

governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social

Council and other non-governmental organizations, 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, youth associations,

community organizations, trade unions and associations of workers, as well as

representatives of the private sector, regional banks, and other financial institutions

and international development agencies, based on arrangements, including Economic

and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, and practices observed by the

Commission on Human Rights, while ensuring the most effective contribution of

these entities;

11. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights 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 adopt the appropriate measures to

disseminate information about the Social Forum, invite the relevant individuals and

organizations to the Social Forum and take all practical measures required for the

success of this initiative;

13. Invites the 2008 Social Forum to submit to the Human Rights Council

a report including a proposal of possible themes for the 2009 Social Forum;

14. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Social Forum with all

the services and facilities necessary to fulfil its activities, and also requests the United

Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide all the necessary support to

facilitate the convening and proceedings of the Social Forum;

15. Decides to continue consideration of this issue under the relevant

agenda item when the report of the 2008 Social Forum is submitted to the Human

Rights Council.

[Adopted without a vote] 21st meeting

28 September 2007

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