A/HRC/38/25 Annex II Questionnaire Background: United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 35/29 requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a study, in close cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and in consultation with States, United Nations agencies and other relevant stakeholders, on how to promote and enhance synergies between the parliaments and the work of the Human Rights Council and its universal periodic review, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-eighth session, in order to provide States and other relevant stakeholders with elements that could serve as orientation to strengthen their interaction towards the effective promotion and protection of human rights. 1. Does your Parliament have a specialized committee that deals solely with human rights? Is the committee human rights-specific or does it also cover other related questions (gender, legal, constitutional affairs, etc.)? 2. Does it have “human rights” in its name? 3. What are the committee’s functions? Does it deal with international or national human rights issues? 4. If it deals with international human rights issues: (a) Does it take into account the information country by country available in OHCHR Universal Human Rights Index? (www.ohchr.org) (b) Does it contribute to UN human rights Treaty Bodies (such as the Committee on the Rights of the Child, CERD, CEDAW, etc.) discussions for the countries of interest? (c) Does it contribute to the recommendations made by the Government during the HRC Universal Periodic Review sessions in Geneva? (d) Does it participate in UPR/TB meetings in Geneva as part of Government delegations or on their own? (e) Does it meet with UN independent human rights experts (also known as Special Rapporteurs or Working Groups or Special Procedures Mandate Holders), or OHCHR or UN officials on human rights related concerns? (f) Does it make an input into Government’s position in intergovernmental bodies, in particular the UN General Assembly Third Committee and the Human Rights Council? (g) Does it receive regular information on international human rights issues and developments pertaining to the human rights situation in the countries it is interested in? 5. If it deals with national human rights issues: (a) Does it oversee the responsibility of the executive for its legal obligations (following the ratification of treaties) or political commitments made following the UPR? (b) Does it communicate its concerns to relevant UN human rights mechanisms? (c) Does it participate as part of the Government delegation or on its own in UN human rights meeting in Geneva (HRC UPR/TB)? (d) Does it meet with visiting SPMHs or UN officials dealing with human rights issues? (e) Does it follow up to recommendations received by the State that involve either legislative reform or to the passing of laws? (f) Does it participate in national coordination mechanisms for comprehensive reporting and follow up to human rights recommendations set up by the executive? 17