UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/7/41 12 February 2008 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Seventh session Agenda item 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights containing a draft basic document on the development of a racial equality index Note by the Secretariat In its decision 2/102, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies. Pursuant to Commission resolution 2005/64, a comprehensive annual report was submitted to the Commission at its sixty-second session (E/CN.4/2006/14). A note by the Secretariat (A/HRC/4/52) was submitted to the Council informing it on the progress of the mandate entrusted to the High Commissioner with regard to the possibility of developing a racial equality index. The guidance of the Council was also requested in order for the High Commissioner to proceed with the mandate. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is honoured to inform the Council that the report submitted to the Commission at its sixty-second session was a comprehensive report established pursuant to Commission resolution 2005/64, in which the Commission requested the High Commissioner to expedite the consultative process on examining the possibility of the development of a racial equality index and to submit a draft basic document on the proposed index. The report contains information on the consultations conducted by OHCHR. That information is still relevant and the guidance of the Council would be appreciated in order for the consultation process to continue. ----GE.08-10601 (E) 150208