Human Rights Council
(9th regular session – beginning on 8 September 2008)

Modalities for NGO oral interventions


The following modalities apply for speaking time arrangements relating to NGOs in regular sessions of the HRC. They take into account arrangements developed in this regard since the first session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), and applied at previous HRC sessions, and aim at assisting accredited NGOs when planning and managing their oral interventions, in particular those NGOs not represented in Geneva/Switzerland.

NGO oral interventions in General Debates
NGOs may intervene in Debates held under all substantive agenda items.
NGOs’ individual statements are up to 3 minutes each.
NGOs’ joint statements with a large number of co-signatories are given priority and placed on top of the list.
No additional time is to be allocated to NGOs’ joint statements.

NGO oral interventions in Interactive dialogues with Special Procedure mandate-holders
NGOs may participate in Interactive dialogues held with Special Procedure mandate-holders.
The total time available for NGOs’ interventions in Interactive dialogues with mandate-holders is 10 minutes per Special Rapporteur. The overall time will depend on how the Interactive Dialogues are grouped (e.g. one, two or three Special Rapporteurs per meeting).  
NGOs’ individual interventions/questions in Interactive dialogues with Special Procedure mandate-holders are up to 2 minutes each, when the relevant Special Procedure mandate-holder features individually, and up to 3 minutes each when Special Procedure mandate-holders are clustered in a group. 
Other observers’ interventions, including NGOs’, are to be taken up prior to the mandate-holders’ final comments.
Interventions in Interactive dialogues should focus on questions and comments related to the Special Procedures’ reports under consideration.
NGO coordination is strongly encouraged to maximize the use of total time available to NGOs.


NGO oral interventions following up-date by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
NGOs may present comments and questions following the up-date by the High Commissioner.
NGOs’ individual interventions/questions following up-date by the High Commissioner are up to 3 minutes each. 
Interventions following up-date provided by the UN High Commissioner should focus on questions and comments related to the presentation made by the UN High Commissioner, and reports introduced by the High Commissioner.


NGO oral interventions in RRI-Interactive dialogues
NGOs’ individual interventions/questions in RRI- Interactive dialogues are up to 2 minutes each, and the total time available for NGOs’ interventions in each RRI-Interactive dialogue is 15 minutes. 
Other observers’ interventions, including NGOs’, will be taken up prior to the wrap-up remarks by the sponsors.
Interventions in Interactive dialogues in relation to the Review, Rationalization and Improvement (RRI) of Special Procedure mandates should focus on questions and comments on the assessment and review process of each mandate.