Berhane Tewolde's Development Blog

… to hold fourth session in Geneva

Next Group of 16 Countries To Be Reviewed During Fourth Session of Universal Periodic Review Working Group from 2 to 13 February. (See list of troikas for fourth session)

The fourth session of the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review Working Group will be held in Geneva from 2 to 13 February during which the next group of 16 States will have their human rights records examined under this new mechanism.
The fourth group of States to be reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review are (in order of review): Germany, Djibouti, Canada, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Mauritius, Jordan and Malaysia. The meeting will take place in Room XVII at the Palais des Nations.

Representatives of the 16 countries are expected to come before the Working Group, which comprises the entire membership of the 47-member Human Rights Council, to present efforts they have made in fulfilling their human rights obligations and commitments, assessing both positive developments and identifying challenges.

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Received by mail
From: UNCTAD
Date: 16 Jan 2009

Dear civil society representatives, Please find for your information following links to Policy Brief No. 5:

• in english;
• en français;
• en espanol;
• and here the link to the full list of Policy Reviews at UNCTAD.org.

… and Durban Review Conference website

Received by mail
From: OHCHR
Date: 16 Jan 2009

Visit or download:

• Durban Review – Geneva 20-24 April 2009;
• Full text 62 pdf-pages;
• World Conference against racisme … of Sept. 2001;
• working group to continue negotiations;
• Durban review conference update, of 13 Jan. 2009, 7 pdf-pages.

Dear friends, At the request of the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group mandated to continue and finalize the process of negotiations on and drafting of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference, please find the programme of work of the first session of the working group attached. The technically reviewed version of the compilation of proposals submitted by the Chair is also attached. Observers will have the opportunity to address the working group for up to 45 minutes at the end of each day on the discussions of that day. The session will take place from 19 to 23 January 2009 in room XVII.

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… first session of the intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group …

Received by mail:
From: OHCHR
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009

… We would (also) like to share with you the following Note Verbale: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) presents its compliments to all non-governmental organizations, and would like to inform them that, pursuant to decision PC.3/9 adopted by the Preparatory Committee for the Durban Review Conference on 17 October 2008 and reflected in the report as decision PC.3/109 in the report, the first session of the intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group mandated to continue and finalize the process of negotiations on and drafting of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference will take place from 19 to 23 January 2009. The first meeting of the working group will be convened at 10.00 a.m. on Monday, 19 January 2009, in conference room XVII of the Palais des Nations (Geneva).

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