A/HRC/19/38 I. Introduction 1. On 1 June 2011, at its seventeenth session, the Human Rights Council, pursuant to its decision 16/116, held a panel discussion on the issue of the human rights of victims of terrorism, taking into account, inter alia, the recommendations of the Symposium on Supporting Victims of Terrorism, convened by the Secretary-General on 9 September 2008, in New York. In its decision, the Council requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to liaise with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism and all concerned parties and stakeholders, including relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, with a view to ensuring their participation in the panel discussion. 2. The panel discussion was aimed at enhancing the understanding of issues regarding the human rights of victims of terrorism and offered an opportunity to exchange information on relevant efforts made at the international, regional and national levels, and to share good practices with a view to increasing the capacity of States to respond to the needs for protection of the rights of victims of terrorism and their families, while taking into account their international human rights obligations. 3. The panel discussion was moderated by the President of the Human Rights Council and opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The panellists were the Political Affairs Officer at the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, Department of Political Affairs, Anne Wu; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin; the President of the Foundation for Victims of Terrorism of Spain, Maite Pagazaurtundúa; Rianne M. Letschert, Professor at the International Victimology Institute in Tilbourg (Netherlands); the Chief of the Specialized Terrorism Prevention Unit of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mauro Miedico; and former Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences and current member of the Committee on the Prevention of Torture of the Council of Europe, Yakin Ertürk. The present summary was prepared by OHCHR, as requested by the Council in decision 16/116. II. Statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and contributions of panellists 4. In her opening statement, the High Commissioner stressed that the Global CounterTerrorism Strategy, adopted by the General Assembly in 2006,1 recognized the need to promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism. She emphasized that the Symposium on Supporting Victims of Terrorism convened by the Secretary-General in 2008 offered a first occasion for victims of terrorism from around the world to discuss their loss and suggest ways of addressing their needs. The High Commissioner welcomed the fact that the Human Rights Council had requested that the panel discussion seek to build on the recommendations of the Symposium, and pointed out that it was an opportunity for States to share good practices and experience relating to national legislation and policies in responding to the multiple challenges involved when protecting the human rights of victims of terrorism. She highlighted the fact that terrorist acts caused a high number of direct and indirect victims who required immediate assistance and long-term medical and psychosocial support, as well as financial aid. As a point of departure for designing policies and 1 General Assembly resolution 60/288, annex. 3