A/HRC/7/29
page 10
V. WORKING METHODS
A. Draft revised Manual of Special Procedures Mandate-Holders
40. The need to look into the relationship between the Code of Conduct and the Manual of
Special Procedures was mentioned by a number of participants. Article 2 (b) of the Code of
Conduct stated that the provisions of the Manual of the United Nations Human Rights Special
Procedures should be in consonance with those in the Code. The Secretariat informed
participants that several contributions had been received by stakeholders before the deadline for
comments set by the Coordination Committee.
41. Participants decided to ask a number of mandate-holders, through the Coordination
Committee, to look into the comments and the implications of the Code of Conduct, and to
revise the Manual accordingly. The following mandate-holders would be involved in the
exercise: Ghanim Alnajjar, Philip Alston, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Manfred Nowak and
Leila Zerrougui.
42. It was agreed that the Manual would reflect some of the issues discussed during the
meeting, including issues related to the cooperation of special procedures with regional
human rights mechanisms, non-governmental organizations and national human rights
institutions.
B. Consultancy study on enlarging the network of civil society actors working
with special procedures and strengthening collaboration among
mandate-holders, the Special Procedures Branch and civil society
43. The main conclusions of a consultancy study on enlarging the network of civil society
actors working with special procedures and strengthening collaboration among special
procedures mandate-holders, OHCHR and civil society actors were presented to participants.
The study was prepared using information contained in OHCHR databases and through informal
consultations with civil society actors and OHCHR staff members, recording good practices of
cooperation to be replicated.
44. The study showed that 90 per cent of mandates had some form of interaction or
relationship with national civil society actors. Almost 70 per cent of special procedures
interacted with victims, 70 per cent with academics, 65 per cent with professional associations,
60 per cent with human rights defenders and 45 per cent with representatives of religious groups.
The study also provided data on the geographic distribution of civil society contacts. The
different types of interaction held by mandate-holders with civil society actors were also
addressed in the report.
45. The recommendations of the study also addressed interaction with civil society as a source
of information. There was a need to ensure enhanced information of sources on communication
procedures, as well as involvement in follow-up strategies. Recommendations also dealt with
ways and means to increase awareness about special procedures among civil society actors;
enlarge the network of civil society contacts, in particular in the African and Arab regions;
facilitate access to special procedures; and ensure institutional memory.
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