First session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the Review of the Work and Functioning of the Human Rights Council Contribution by Norway Promotion and protection of human rights is one of the principal aims of the UN and, together with the promotion of peace and security, constitutes one of the pillars upon which the UN was founded. A reinvigorated vision for human rights was at the heart of the Secretary General’s agenda for UN reform which the World Summit endorsed in 2005. The Human Rights Council was created to strengthen the UN human rights machinery (as stated in GA resolution 60/251). Promoting mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system is an essential part of the Council’s mandate (OP3 of GA res 60/251) and is fundamental to achieving the goals of UN reform. The Council should devote more time to its mainstreaming mandate, with the view to inter alia improve coordination of human rights work between the HRC and the UNSC, the UNGA and the peacekeeping activities of UN, as well as enhance integration of the human right dimension in all activities of the UN system, including at the country level. To contribute to this aim, we are proposing an addition to the Framework for the programme of work on mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system. A fundamental element of the objective and mandate of the Council is that it shall meet regularly throughout the year. It should continue do so in no fewer than three regular sessions as decided in OP 10 of GA res 60/251. The Council should, however, explore ways and means of improving the conduct of regular sessions to enhance relevance, effectiveness, transparency and predictability of its work. The system of special procedures is widely acknowledged as the eyes and ears of the Council and plays a vital role in the UN human rights machinery. All mandates have been examined through the process of review, rationalization and improvement. The Council should at this stage evaluate and improve its own interaction with the special procedures aiming at strengthening the Council’s ability to fulfill its mandate on prevention, protection and mainstreaming. The modalities for interactive dialogues should allow for significantly more time for mandate holders to reply to questions and comments and more time for members and observers to participate. It is also desirable that rules for speaking time during general debates are respected, meaning that member states are given 5 minutes and observer states 3 minutes. Furthermore, the frequent holding of full day (9 am- 6 pm) plenary meetings during regular sessions is expensive, ineffective and is putting an unreasonable strain on small delegations, including their capacity to take part in informal negotiations. For these reasons we need to lessen the existing workload during regular sessions. We therefore propose to establish separate UPR plenary sessions for the adoption of the UPR outcome. These UPR plenary sessions should be organized in conjunction with the sessions of the UPR working group and consider the outcome of the preceding session of the UPR Working Group. With regard to the modalities of the UPR WG sessions, it is vital to solve the problems around inscription on the speakers list. We therefore suggest that the time for each review shall be four hours. Based on our own experience from the review, it is also desirable for the state under review to have more time to consider the recommendations before the preliminary adoption of the outcome by the UPR WG. By expanding the time allocated to each review with one hour, it would also be possible to give the state under review 72 hours to consider the recommendations received. To contribute to the continued success of the UPR it is imperative to strengthen the attention given to the implementation of recommendations. A system with mid-term reporting to the Council on the status of this work would contribute towards this aim. If this reporting includes information on states’ efforts to engage the international community, this would hopefully contribute to trigger capacity building and technical assistance both from the UN system and bilateral donors. To increase transparency, inclusiveness and predictability in the work of the Council we further propose some minor adjustments to the programme of work, methods of work and rules of procedure. CONCRETE PROSALS HRC sessions The HRC shall meet regularly throughout the year and schedule no fewer than three regular sessions per year, including a main session, for a total duration of no less than ten weeks The HRC shall schedule three UPR plenary sessions per year which shall be exclusively dedicated to the adoption of the UPR outcome. The UPR plenary sessions shall take place immediately after the sessions of the UPR Working Group and shall each have a duration of no more than three days. UPR Adoption of the outcome The final outcome of the UPR will be adopted by the Council in UPR plenary sessions. The UPR plenary session shall take place immediately after the sessions of the UPR Working Group and consider the outcome of the preceding session of the UPR Working Group. The state under review shall be fully involved in the outcome. The state under review shall, prior to the adoption of the outcome in UPR plenary sessions, clearly state its position in writing on all recommendations received during the interactive dialogue. Modalities for UPR WG sessions The UPR WG sessions shall be extended with sufficient time to allow for four hours allocated to interactive dialogue with each state under review. The state under review will continue to have one hour to its disposal. The remaining three hours will be equally divided among the states inscribed on the speakers list. ALT: The order of speakers list will be decided by the drawing of lots according to the proposal presented in the non-paper on list of speakers UPR REV 1 of February 2010. In situations where time does not allow all interested delegations to speak, up to three recommendations from these states shall also be included in the report from the UPR WG. 72 hours shall pass between the end of the interactive dialogue with the state under review and the preliminary adoption of the outcome of the review by the UPR WG. Follow-up to the review The state under review has the primary responsibility to implement the outcome of the UPR. States are invited to inform the Council of the status regarding the implementation of the recommendations 2 years after the review. This mid-term exercise should include information on the state’s efforts to engage the international community in the implementation of recommendations and the response and assistance provided by, inter alia, the UN system, development banks and bilateral donors. Framework for the Programme of Work, Methods of Work and Rules of Procedure Framework for the Programme of work Mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system shall be added in the last sub item under item 3: “Mainstreaming of human rights within the UN system, interrelation of human rights and human rights thematic issues”. Methods of work At the organizational meeting at the beginning of each council year, the President shall invite delegations to present their plans for resolutions to be tabled during the council year. A tentative yearly calendar of planned resolutions shall be elaborated on this basis. During the organizational meetings before each session the President shall invite delegations to share information on planned initiatives and resolutions intended to be tabled during the session. The yearly calendar of resolutions shall also be reviewed at each organizational meeting. Rules of Procedure A draft calendar of regular sessions and an annual programme of work shall be made available and posted on the OHCHR website at the beginning of each council year, indicating the approximate dates of consideration of items and issues, including general debates, panel debates and interactive dialogue with special procedures. A draft programme of work for each session shall be made available and posted on the OHCHR website no later than 6 weeks before the beginning of each session.