A/HRC/DEC/19/119 Annex Report of the Human Rights Council task force on secretariat services, accessibility for persons with disabilities and use of information technology I. Mandate 1. The task force was established pursuant to paragraph 61 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21 of 25 March 2011. It that resolution, the Council mandated the task force to study the issues contained in paragraphs 57 to 60 of the annex to resolution 16/21 relating to the improvement of secretariat services for the Council and its mechanisms, accessibility to the work of the Council for persons with disabilities, and the feasibility of the use of information technology. In paragraph 61 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the Council specified that the task force should submit concrete recommendations to the Council at its nineteenth session. II. Composition of the task force 2. The task force was composed of the Human Rights Council Bureau and representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Office at Geneva. Representatives of Member States and other stakeholders also contributed to the work of the task force. III. Methods of work 3. The task force discussed issues relating to the challenges facing Human Rights Council conference services, the use of videoconferencing and video-messaging to enhance access and participation by non-resident delegations (including States, United Nations agencies and other international organizations, national human rights institutions and nongovernmental organizations), as well as paper-smart measures aimed at reducing the consumption of paper by the Council. With regard to the enhancement of accessibility for persons with disabilities, the task force discussed options to enhance accessibility in terms of physical access to meeting rooms and of access to information and documentation. 4. From July 2011 to January 2012, the task force held seven meetings with a view to submitting recommendations to the Human Rights Council at its nineteenth session. IV. A. Human Rights Council secretariat services General remarks 5. According to paragraph 57 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, the secretariat service to the Council and its mechanisms should continue to be improved to enhance the efficiency of the work of the Council. 6. The issue of resources available for the provision of adequate conference services to the Human Rights Council, and in particular to the universal periodic review, was thoroughly discussed by the task force. While expressing appreciation for the efforts made by the United Nations Office at Geneva and Office of the High Commissioner to provide the Council with the best support possible, in particular within the context of overall reduction of the regular budget of the Secretariat, the task force nonetheless referred to the 3