Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the 58th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS |
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights held its 58th session in Geneva from 18 March to 26 April 2002. At the request of many of its members, the Inter-Parliamentary Union decided to hold a Parliamentary Meeting on this occasion. The Meeting was organised by the IPU with the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The Parliamentry Meeting took place on 8 April 2002 in Room XXV at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and was open to all MPs who travelled to Geneva specifically for the purpose of participating in the Parliamentary Meeting the as well as to those who attended the Commission's session as members of their national delegation. The Meeting was convened to inform MPs about the functioning of the Commission by highlighting themes and mechanisms of particular interest to their work, as well as the mandate of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The event was also designed to provide MPs with an opportunity for an exchange of views on what they can do to promote and protect human rights.
The provisional programme of the Parliamentary Meeting is reproduced below. Relevant documents (convocation, practical information note, registration form) can be downloaded from this page in PDF format.
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Practical information note (PDF) Registration form (PDF)
IPU Council resolutions on human rights of parliamentarians |
Note: Documents in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader |
PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME OF THE PARLIAMENTARY MEETING Palais des Nations, Room XXV, 8 April 2002 | |
Chairperson: Mr. Jacques Lefevre, President of the Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives of Belgium | |
9.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. | Opening session:
- Welcome address by Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union |
10 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. | Introduction to the work and structure of the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ms. María Francesca Ize-Charrin, Secretary of the UN Commission on Human Rights
A civil society perspective on the work of the Commission: Mr. Mark Thomson, Secretary General of the Association for the Prevention of Torture General discussion |
11.15 a.m.to 12.30 p.m. | Parliamentarians as guardians and practitioners of the right to freedom of expression: Mr. Abid Hussain, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, India
General discussion |
12.30 p.m.to 1.00 p.m. | Option to attend session of the Commission on Human Rights (Room XVII). Agenda item 11: Civil and Political rights |
2.30 p.m. to 3.45 p.m. | Parliamentary action to ensure the independence of the judiciary and the good administration of justice, Mr. Param Cumaraswamy: UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Malaysia
General discussion |
3.45 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Break |
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Parliamentary action to ensure the right to education: Ms. Katarina Tomasevski, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Croatia
General discussion |
5.00 p.m.to 5.15 p.m. | Closing remarks by the Chairperson |
12.30 p.m.to 1.00 p.m. | Option to attend session of the Commission on Human Rights (Room XVII). Agenda item 11: Civil and Political rights |
6 p.m.to 7.30 p.m. | Reception for parliamentarians hosted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Restaurant des délégués on the 8th floor of the Palais des Nations |