A/HRC/19/81 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 15 February 2012 Original: English Human Rights Council Nineteenth session Agenda item 1 Organizational and procedural matters Election of members of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee* Note by the Secretary-General 1. The present note was prepared following the demise of Purification V. Quisumbing, who had been elected by the Human Rights Council, at its sixteenth session, for a threeyear term to the Advisory Committee. As a vacancy from the Group of Asian States must be filled for the remainder of that term, the Council will elect a new member to the Committee at its nineteenth session. 2. On 12 December 2011, the secretariat of the Human Rights Council addressed a note verbale to the Permanent Mission of Japan, in its capacity as the regional coordinator for Asian States with regard to the submission of nominations. 3. On 20 January 2012, the secretariat received a note verbale from the Permanent Mission of the Philippines communicating the nomination of Cecilia Rachel V. Quisumbing as candidate for membership of the Advisory Committee. The biographical data of the candidate are annexed to the present note. 4. The Secretary-General recalls that, in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the Advisory Committee, composed of 18 experts serving in their personal capacity and nominated by States Members of the United Nations following States‟ consultations with national human rights institutions and civil society organizations, shall be elected by the Council, by secret ballot, from the list of candidates whose names have been submitted in accordance with the agreed requirements. 5. The geographic distribution of members is as follows: (a) five from African States; (b) five from Asian States; (c) two from Eastern European States; (d) three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and (e) three from Western European and other States. * GE.12-10408 The annex to the present report is circulated as received, in the language of submission only.