UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. Distr. \* MERGEFORMAT GENERAL Symbol \* MERGEFORMAT A/CONF.211/PC.2/4 Date \* MERGEFORMAT 16 April 2008 Original: Orig. Lang. \* MERGEFORMAT ENGLISH DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE Preparatory Committee First substantive session Geneva, 21 April-2 May 2007 Items 3, 4, 6 and 8 of the provisional agenda ORGANIZATION OF WORK SUBMISSION OF THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE Review of reports, studies and other documentation for the Preparatory Committee and the Durban Review Conference and contributions of human rights BODIES and mechanisms ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK OF THE DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE Proposals of the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee and proposals of the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee for consideration and action by the Preparatory Committee* ** Draft decision 1 Accreditation of the non-governmental organization: Peoples Forum for Human Rights and Development In line with Preparatory Committee decision PC.1/2 of 27 August 2007 entitled “Participation of, and consultation with, observers at the sessions of the Preparatory Committee”, the secretariat has sent to all Member States an updated list of non-governmental organizations not in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, but accredited to participate in the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and its follow-up mechanisms. The Government of Bhutan, in a note verbale of 7 September 2007, raised questions concerning the non-governmental organization Peoples Forum for Human Rights and Development. Given that this organization did not respond to requests made by the secretariat for further information following the concerns raised by the Government of Bhutan, and that there are not sufficient grounds to establish its competence and the relevance of its activities with regard to the work of the Preparatory Committee, the Preparatory Committee decides not to accredit the non-governmental organization Peoples Forum for Human Rights and Development. Draft decision 2 Establishment and dates of the intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group The Preparatory Committee decides to establish an intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working group to follow up the work of the Preparatory Committee. The Preparatory Committee decides that the open-ended intergovernmental working group will hold two sessions, of one week each. The first session will take place from 26 to 30 May 2008 and the second session from 30 June to 4 July 2008. Draft decision 3 Panel discussion on the objectives of the Durban Review Conference The Preparatory Committee decides to hold a panel discussion on the objectives of the Durban Review Conference under agenda item 6, “Review of reports, studies and other documentation for the Preparatory Committee and the Durban Review Conference and contributions of human rights bodies and mechanisms.” The panel will be composed of the members of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the independent eminent experts on the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent and the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on the elaboration of complementary international standards. The presentations by the experts will be followed by an interactive dialogue. Draft decision 4 Information strategy for the Durban Review Conference The Preparatory Committee requests the High Commissioner, in her capacity as SecretaryGeneral of the Durban Review Conference, to prepare and carry out, in close cooperation with the United Nations Department of Public Information, a worldwide information campaign with a view to mobilizing support for the objectives of the Durban Review Conference by all sectors of political, economic, social and cultural life, as well as other interested sectors. Chairperson’s proposal for the provisional agenda of the Durban Review Conference 1. Opening of the Conference 2. Election of the President 3. High-level segment 4. Adoption of the rules of procedure 5. Election of other officers of the Conference 6. Credentials of representatives to the Conference 7. Adoption of the agenda 8. Organization of work 9. Issues arising from the objectives of the Conference: (a) To review progress and assess implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action by all stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels, including assessing contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through an inclusive, transparent and collaborative process and identify concrete measures and initiatives for combating and eliminating all manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to foster the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action; (b) To assess the effectiveness of the existing Durban follow-up mechanisms and other relevant United Nations mechanisms dealing with the issue of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to enhance them; (c) To promote the universal ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and proper consideration of the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; (d) To identify and share good practices achieved in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. 10. Adoption of the final document and the report of the Durban Review Conference. ----- * Late submission. ** The present document contains the draft decisions submitted by the Bureau of the Preparatory Committee of the Durban Review Conference and proposals by the Chairperson. The objective is to facilitate the deliberations of the Preparatory Committee during its first substantive session. A/CONF.211/PC.2/4 page \* MERGEFORMAT 2 A/CONF.211/PC.2/4 page \* MERGEFORMAT 3 GE.08-12937 (E) 180408 Word.Picture.8