Sixty-first session Agenda items 68 and 117 Report of the Human Rights Council Programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 Revised estimates resulting from resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth session in 2007 Report of the Secretary-General Summary The present report details budgetary requirements resulting from resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth session, in 2007. The expenditure requirements arising as a result of the resolutions are estimated at $434,600. Of that amount, it is anticipated that the additional requirements of $360,300 can be accommodated to the extent possible within the resources already appropriated under the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007. Any additional expenditure that should arise in the implementation of the resolutions would be reported in the context of the second performance report on the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007. In addition, estimated requirements of $74,300 for the biennium 20082009 have not been included in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. Thus, the requirements for the biennium 2008-2009 will be considered in accordance with the procedures established in General Assembly resolutions 41/213 and 42/211. I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted to inform the General Assembly of the requirements resulting from resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth session, held in 2007. 2. The Council adopted resolutions 4/4 and 4/8, in which it authorized relevant human rights bodies and special procedures to continue activities or undertake additional activities, including meetings, in excess of the resources approved in the 2006-2007 programme budget that would affect the estimates of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. Provisions have not been made in the 2006-2007 programme budget for the activities relating to resolution 4/8, nor for activities arising from resolution 4/4, in the proposals for the programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009. In accordance with rule 153 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the Council was provided, where appropriate, with a statement of programme budget implications prior to the adoption of the resolutions. The additional requirements associated with the Council’s resolutions are described below. 3. Regarding additional conference-servicing requirements, in each relevant case the Council was informed of the full cost of the additional services to be provided and any potential for absorption of the requirements within the approved appropriations, as applicable. On that basis, it was indicated to the Council that the required resources in relation to resolution 4/8 would be accommodated within the resources available for the biennium 2006-2007 under section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management, and under section 28E, Administration, Geneva, of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007, and that the required resources relating to resolution 4/4 would be subject to the procedures that govern the use of the contingency fund for the biennium 2008-2009. II. Additional requirements relating to the resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council A. Resolution 4/4: the right to development 4. Under the terms of paragraph 2 (e), (f) and (g) of resolution 4/4, the Human Rights Council decided: (a) To renew the mandate of the Working Group on the Right to Development for a period of two years, and that the Working Group would convene annual sessions of five working days and present its reports to the Council; (b) To renew also the mandate of the high-level task force on the implementation of the right to development established within the framework of the Working Group on the Right to Development, for a period of two years, and that the task force would convene annual sessions of seven working days and present its reports to the Working Group on the Right to Development; (c) To request the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to continue to take all necessary measures and allocate necessary resources for the effective implementation of that resolution. 5. The adoption of the resolution by the Human Rights Council and the expected adoption by the General Assembly give rise to additional requirements because of the two additional working days of the sessions of the high-level task force each year. The additional costs would relate to (a) daily subsistence allowance for the members and (b) conference services to be provided to the high-level task force. The amount for the activity is estimated at $74,300 for the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, as follows: United States dollars Section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management 63 300 Section 23, Human rights 8 200 Section 28E, Administration, Geneva 2 800 Total 74 300 6. Those requirements have not been included in the proposals contained in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, to be considered by the General Assembly at its sixty-second session. Accordingly, in accordance with established budgetary procedures, the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 41/213 and 42/211 that govern the use of the contingency fund would apply. 7. With regard to paragraph 2 (g) of Council resolution 4/4, the attention of the Council was also drawn to General Assembly resolution 45/248 B, section VI, in which the Assembly reaffirmed that administrative and budgetary matters should be dealt with by the Fifth Committee and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions. B. Resolution 4/8: follow-up to decision S-4/101 of 13 December 2006 adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth special session entitled “Situation of human rights in Darfur” 8. In paragraphs 6, 7 and 9 of resolution 4/8, the Human Rights Council: (a) Decided to convene a group to be presided over by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, composed of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences; (b) Requested that group to work with the Government of the Sudan and the appropriate human rights mechanisms of the African Union and to consult closely with the Chairman of the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultation to ensure effective follow-up and to foster the implementation of resolutions and recommendations on Darfur adopted by the Human Rights Council, the Commission on Human Rights and other United Nations human rights institutions, as well as to promote the implementation of relevant recommendations of other United Nations human rights mechanisms, taking into account the needs of the Sudan in this regard, to safeguard the consistency of those recommendations and to contribute to monitoring the human rights situation on the ground; (c) Requested the group to report to the Council at its fifth session. 9. The adoption of resolution 4/8 by the Human Rights Council and the expected adoption by the General Assembly give rise to costs for (a) travel of the members of the group (the composition of which is set out in paragraph 8 (a) above) for two meetings in Geneva of three working days each, (b) travel for three days of consultations in Banjul with the mechanisms of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights by a representative of the group and two OHCHR staff, (c) travel to Geneva for a representative of the group to present its report to the Council at its fifth session, (d) staff costs for a coordinator at the P-4/5 level, an executive assistant at the P-3/2 level and a General Service (Other level) administrative assistant for three months and (e) conference services to be provided to the group, estimated in the amount of $360,300 for the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007, as follows: United States dollars Section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management 166 300 Section 23, Human rights 190 100 Section 28E, Administration, Geneva 3 900 Total 360 300 10. Provisions have not been made under sections 2, 23 and 28E of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007 for the activities envisaged in paragraphs 6, 7 and 9 of resolution 4/8. Should the relevant draft resolution be adopted, additional resources of $360,300 would be required, as reflected in paragraph 9 above. 11. The Secretariat has sought to identify areas from which resources can be redeployed to meet the requirements arising from resolution 4/8. It is anticipated that the additional requirements can be accommodated to the extent possible within the resources already appropriated under the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007. However, any additional expenditure that should arise in the implementation of the resolution would be reported in the context of the second performance report on the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007. III. Overall requirements and conclusion 12. As shown in the annex to the present report, the implications of the resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth session, in 2007, give rise to total requirements of $434,600. Of that total, it is anticipated $360,300 would be accommodated within the resources already appropriated under the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007, to the extent possible and as may be necessary, to be reported in the context of the second performance report for the biennium 2006-2007. 13. Further to paragraph 3 above, the requirements for the biennium 2008-2009, estimated at $74,300, will be considered in accordance with the procedures established in General Assembly resolutions 41/213 and 42/211. IV. Action required of the General Assembly 14. The General Assembly is requested to: (a) Note that actions under Human Rights Council resolution 4/8 would give rise to additional requirements under sections 2, 23 and 28E of the programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007, which would, to the extent possible, be accommodated within the existing appropriation, and authorize the Secretary-General to report as necessary in the context of the second performance report on the programme budget for the biennium of 2006-2007; (b) Note that actions under Human Rights Council resolution 4/4 would give rise to additional requirements under sections 2, 23 and 28E of the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, which would be subject to the provisions of General Assembly resolutions 41/213 and 42/211. Annex Summary of requirements resulting from resolutions of the Human Rights Council at its fourth session, in 2007a (United States dollars) 2006-2007 Resulting from application of resolutions 41/213 and 42/211 Budget section Requirements Existing provision in the programme budget To be accommodated from the existing appropriationa Human Rights Council resolution 4/4 The right to development 2 23 28E — — — 63 300 8 200 2 800 4/8 Follow-up to decision S-4/101 of 13 December 2006 adopted by the Human Rights Council at its fourth special session entitled “Situation of human rights in Darfur” 2 23 28E 166 300 190 100 3 900 166 300 190 100 3 900 Total 360 300 360 300 74 300 a To be reported, as necessary, in the context of the second performance report.   sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/61/530/Add.3 sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT A/61/530/Add.3 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-34347 \* MERGEFORMAT 2 \* MERGEFORMAT 5 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 07-34347 United Nations A/61/530/Add.3 General Assembly Distr.: General 15 May 2007 Original: English jobn \* MERGEFORMAT 07-34347 (E) 180507 Barcode \* MERGEFORMAT *0734347*