Udenrigsudvalget 2018-19 (1. samling)
URU Alm.del Bilag 21
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A
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HRC/FD/2018/1
Advance unedited version
Distr.: General
1 October 2018
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law
Second session
22 – 23 November 2018
Provisional agenda and annotations thereto
Note by the Secretariat
Provisional agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
Parliaments as key actors in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule
of law.
Parliaments facing current global challenges to human rights, democracy and the
rule of law.
Parliaments working with others: is there room for more engagement?
Enhancing the involvement of parliaments in international human rights
mechanisms.
Concluding remarks.
 URU, Alm.del - 2018-19 (1. samling) - Bilag 21: Invitation til møde i FN's Forum for menneskerettigheder, demokrati og retsstatsprincipper 22. - 23. november 2018 i Geneve
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Annotations
1.
Adoption of the agenda and organization of work
Venue
1.
Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/41, the second session of the
Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law will be held in Geneva in room
XVII of the Palais des Nations on 22 and 23 November 2018.
2.
The Forum will have before it the provisional agenda contained in the present
document to consider for adoption. A tentative schedule of work for the session is
contained in annex I.
Opening meeting
3.
The President of the Human Rights Council will deliver an opening statement
followed by statements of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and
the Chair of the second Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law.
Documentation
4.
All documents for the session will be made available on the following website:
www.ohchr.org/democracyforum.
Panel discussions
5.
After the presentations introducing the topics for discussion at the beginning of each
agenda item, there will be an open discussion to which all participants will be invited to
contribute, based on a sign-up sheet.
2.
Parliaments as key actors to the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule
of law
6.
As the body competent to legislate, keep the actions of the executive under scrutiny,
and represent the people who elected them, parliaments play a key role in the promotion of
human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Discussion will focus on the capacity and
willingness of parliaments to ensure that legislation complies with States’ human rights
obligations and will identify where and how parliaments’ role in this regard has been
particularly effective.
7.
Discussions will identify the different ways in which parliaments hold policy-
makers to account. Participants will consider how existing mechanisms for parliamentary
oversight can be strengthened, with reference to innovative practices in this area.
8.
Discussions will consider the international work undertaken by parliamentarians in
electoral observation and human rights monitoring missions, and also the parliamentary
diplomacy undertaken by some parliamentary organisations.
9.
Parliaments may face a number of challenges in fulfilling their functions, which may
prevent them from effectively exercising this role. This session will also provide an
opportunity to explore and address the obstacles, including discrimination and structural
inequalities, affecting the capacity of women and groups that are marginalised or
discriminated against to participate in the work of parliaments and stand for parliamentary
office. Discussions will focus on how to make parliaments more inclusive and fully
representative of the people they serve.
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10.
Participants will reflect on the need for members of parliament to enjoy their human
rights as a precondition to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Discussions will look at measures in place to protect parliamentarians’ exercise of their
human rights, and will consider what more can be done in this respect.
3.
Parliaments facing current global challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule
of law
11.
This session will discuss the crucial role of parliaments in light of current global
challenges to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, including those affecting
democratic institutions and principles, the problems posed by mass migration, and the
challenges to sustainable development.
12.
At times of division and strife, parliaments can promote the essential values of
respect, dialogue and compromise. Participants will consider how parliaments can counter
undue restrictions on public freedoms, the use of hate speech, attacks against journalists and
the rise of populism.
13.
Discussions will focus on the responsibility of parliaments to deal with attacks on
democracy and the rule of law; protect peaceful, just and inclusive societies; and address a
shrinking civic space. Participants will explore how parliaments can rebuild and enhance
trust in democracy and State institutions.
14.
Discussions will consider how parliaments from host and origin countries can
cooperate to design effective policy frameworks for migration and effectively address the
associated human rights and rule of law challenges.
15.
The Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development acknowledged the essential role of
national parliaments in the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Discussions will focus on the participation of parliaments in the implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals and in the translation of the 2030 Agenda into local,
national and regional policy, as well as in holding governments accountable for delivering
on their commitments in this regard.
4.
Parliaments working with others: is there room for more engagement?
16.
Transparent and accountable institutions, and participatory and inclusive decision-
making, are necessary for democracy and human rights. As representatives of the people
Parliaments are increasingly opening their doors to other stakeholders. Participants will
consider existing practices to make parliaments more transparent and open, and how
parliaments can better interact with other State institutions.
17.
Discussions will examine co-operation between parliaments and national human
rights institutions (NHRIs). Participants will also examine how NHRIs can contribute to
ensuring that parliaments take into account human rights considerations during the law-
making process. Attention will also be paid to the ways in which the Principles relating to
the status and functioning of national institutions for the promotion and protection of
human rights (the Paris Principles), and the Belgrade Principles on the relationship between
NHRIs and parliaments have been implemented.
18.
The existence of an active civil society is an essential element of democracy.
Discussions will focus on cooperation between civil society organisations and parliaments,
looking specifically at the ways in which civil society can help set the legislative agenda
and encourage parliaments to champion human rights issues.
19.
Discussions will touch upon the relationship between parliaments and the judiciary,
and how these two institutions can complement each other to ensure better protection of
human rights and the rule of law, while respecting their respective independence.
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5.
Enhancing the involvement of parliaments in international human rights mechanisms
20.
Discussions will focus on the measures necessary to ensure structured and regular
participation by national and regional parliaments in the work of the Human Rights Council
and its mechanisms. Participants will reflect on how to enhance synergies between
parliaments and the Universal Periodic Review, with reference to the most recent OHCHR
study on this topic (A/HRC/38/25), as well as to the proposed draft principles on
parliaments and human rights (A/HRC/38/25, Annex). The ways in which the Special
Procedures of the Human Rights Council engage with parliaments and options for
additional engagement will be discussed.
21.
Participants will also identify concrete measures to increase collaboration between
parliaments and human rights treaty bodies for the implementation of recommendations
made by these bodies, including through the establishment of national mechanisms for
reporting and follow up.
22.
Participants will reflect on the human rights work of international and regional
parliamentary organisations. In particular, successful initiatives taken by these
organisations to strengthen the attention paid by national parliaments to human rights issues
will be discussed.
23.
The possibility for greater involvement of parliamentarians, along with government
representatives, in negotiating international human rights instruments will be examined.
6.
Concluding remarks
24.
The Chair of the Forum will share concluding remarks, including forward looking
proposals, with Forum participants.
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Annex I
Schedule of work
Thursday, 22 November 2018
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
3– 6 p.m.
Opening of the second Forum on Human
Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law
•
Welcome and opening remarks by the
President of the Human Rights Council
•
Remarks by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights
•
Remarks by the Chair of the second Forum
on Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule
of Law
Parliaments as key actors in the promotion
of human rights., democracy and the rule of
law
Parliaments facing current global
challenges to human rights,
democracy and the rule of law
Friday, 23 November 2018
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
3– 6 p.m.
Parliaments working with others: is there room Enhancing the involvement of
for more engagement?
parliaments in international human
rights mechanisms
Concluding remarks
5