Background
When creating the Human Rights Council in March 2006 (resolution
60/251), the United Nations General Assembly decided that the Council shall review its work and functioning five years after it has come into existence. It also provided that the status of the Council is to be reviewed at the level of the General Assembly.
Intergovernmental Working Group on the Council Review
In October 2009, at its 12th session, the Council established an open-ended intergovernmental working group on the review of the work and functioning of the Human Rights Council (by
resolution 12/1).
Pre-sessional initiatives
A number of
informal initiatives were convened by Member States and observers to discuss the scope of the review and reflect on various proposals. In addition, several rounds of informal consultations were convened by the Council President to delineate the process and the
modalities of the review. During the 15th session of the Council, the President presented an oral
progress report and in this context, informed the membership of the
joint understanding reached with the President of the General Assembly in New York on the coordination of the review processes of the Council and the General Assembly.
First session of the Working Group on the Council Review
The Working Group held its first session from 25 to 29 October 2010 which marked the formal launch of the review process in Geneva.
Draft Programme of Work and
Modalities of the first session of the Working Group.
Second session of the Working Group on the Council Review
The Working Group held its second session on 7, 17-18, and 23-24 February 2011 in room XX (Palais des Nations)
Draft Programme of Work, 7 February 2011 and
Report of the Working Group
For further information on the HCR Review as well as written contributions submitted to the first session of the intergovernmental working group on the review, please visit the HRC Review section of the
HRC Extranet.
Outcome of the Council Review
HRC Resolution 16/21: Review of the work and functioning of the Human Rights Council (2011)
GA Resolution 65/281: Review of the Human Rights Council (2011).
