6. High-Level Segment
116.
The High-Level Segment shall be held once a year during the main session of the Council. It shall be
followed by a general segment wherein delegations that did not participate in the High-Level Segment may
deliver general statements.
B. Working culture
117.
There is a need for:
(a)
Early notification of proposals;
(b)
Early submission of draft resolutions and decisions, preferably by the end of the penultimate
week of a session;
(c)
Early distribution of all reports, particularly those of special procedures, to be transmitted to
delegations in a timely fashion, at least 15 days in advance of their consideration by the Council, and in all
official United Nations languages;
(d)
Proposers of a country resolution to have the responsibility to secure the broadest possible
support for their initiatives (preferably 15 members), before action is taken;
(e)
Restraint in resorting to resolutions, in order to avoid proliferation of resolutions without
prejudice to the right of States to decide on the periodicity of presenting their draft proposals by:
(i)
Minimizing unnecessary duplication of initiatives with the General Assembly/Third
Committee;
(ii)
Clustering of agenda items;
(iii)
Staggering the tabling of decisions and/or resolutions and consideration of action on
agenda items/issues.
C. Outcomes other than resolutions and decisions
118.
These may include recommendations, conclusions, summaries of discussions and President’s
Statement. As such outcomes would have different legal implications, they should supplement and not replace
resolutions and decisions.
D. Special sessions of the Council
119.
The following provisions shall complement the general framework provided by General Assembly
resolution 60/251 and the rules of procedure of the Human Rights Council.
120.
The rules of procedure of special sessions shall be in accordance with the rules of procedure applicable
for regular sessions of the Council.
121.
The request for the holding of a special session, in accordance with the requirement established in
paragraph 10 of General Assembly resolution 60/251, shall be submitted to the President and to the secretariat
of the Council. The request shall specify the item proposed for consideration and include any other relevant
information the sponsors may wish to provide.
122.
The special session shall be convened as soon as possible after the formal request is communicated,
but, in principle, not earlier than two working days, and not later than five working days after the formal receipt
of the request. The duration of the special session shall not exceed three days (six working sessions), unless the
Council decides otherwise.
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