A/HRC/12/47
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the Brookings Institution. Mandate holders held individual meetings with the Chief of the Travel
Unit of OHCHR, and there was an opportunity to meet with staff of the OHCHR Documents
Processing Unit.
III. ACTIVITIES OF THE COORDINATION COMMITTEE
8.
The outgoing Chair briefed participants on the activities of the Committee under her
chairpersonship and suggested further discussion on how best to guarantee the independence of
mandate holders. She thanked all mandate holders for their valuable contributions to its work, as
well as for the encouragement and confidence expressed over the past year. The Committee also
gratefully acknowledged the professional and efficient support provided by OHCHR.
9.
The main activities of the Committee in 2008/09 related to interaction with the Council and
other stakeholders with regard to special procedures’ involvement in the work of the Council,
including its special sessions; the safeguarding of the independence of special procedures; the
review of special procedures mandates; and the selection and appointment of mandate holders.
The Chair of the Committee and members had engaged in dialogue with the Council and other
stakeholders. The Chair, inter alia, held meetings with the High Commissioner, the Deputy
High Commissioner, the President of the Council, members of the Consultative Group and
coordinators of the Council’s regional and other groups during the tenth session of the Council
and on other occasions. During those meetings, the Chair had stressed the importance of the
effectiveness and the independence of the special procedures system and the need for greater
support by States for the work of the special procedures.
10. Regarding working methods, the former Chair noted that the final version of the Manual of
Operations of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council was made public in
September 2009. No objections had been raised formally through the Internal Advisory
Procedure since the adoption of the Manual at the fifteenth meeting in June 2008. The Chair had
engaged in discussions with the President of the Council regarding concerns about the apparent
lack of commitment by some States to cooperate, with improper language used by those States in
their interaction with special procedures mandate holders.
11. Participants asserted that the Committee should have an even more strategic and active role
in promoting the effectiveness and independence of the system and ensuring constructive
dialogue with the Human Rights Council, notably in relation to the implementation and
interpretation of the Code of Conduct.
12. The Committee held a meeting in Geneva and telephone conferences about every
two months. Mandate holders had been consulted by email, telephone and other means on
various occasions, with a view to facilitating cooperation and responses to issues that had arisen
during the year.
IV. EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WITH THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
13. Participants had an exchange of views with the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Navanethem Pillay. The High Commissioner, inter alia, informed participants about the current
strategic planning process and future priorities of her Office.
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