Information note for NGOs on the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee

Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, the participation of NGOs in the Advisory Committee shall be based on the arrangements and practices observed by the Commission on Human Rights, including Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996 (paragraph 83).

In view of the exceptional nature of current epidemiological conditions related to COVID-19, the 27th session of the Advisory Committee (21-25 February 2022) will be held virtually. NGO representatives may participate remotely via Zoom. 

The secretariat will communicate in due course the Zoom link and detailed guidelines on how to follow the proceedings in the six official languages and take the floor through Zoom to those NGOs accredited to the session.

Accreditation to the session is required through INDICO. Representatives of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC wishing to participate in the session remotely, via Zoom or pre-recorded video messages, are requested to register their participation with the secretariat of the Advisory Committee through the following INDICO registration page: https://indico.un.org/event/33611.

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC may submit written statements relevant to the work of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (in accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31) ahead of the relevant session.

NGOs wishing to submit written statements must send their written statement by email (ohchr-hrcngo@un.org) at least two weeks prior to the start of a session, clearly marking in the subject line ‘NGO written statement’. 

Kindly submit your written statement in MS WORD DOCUMENT FORMAT (Font Times New Roman 10; no bold; no underline; no italics). 

The secretariat of the Advisory Committee wishes to draw the attention of NGOs to ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, which authorizes written statements of: (a) 2,000 words for NGOs in general consultative status; and (b) 1,500 words for NGOs in special consultative status and on the roster.

Written contributions from NGOs may be submitted to this session, in accordance with the secretariat’s guidelines for the submission of NGO written statements to the HRC sessions, accessible at the following link: submission form.

Accredited NGOs may make oral statements under substantive items of the agenda via pre-recorded messages, or live on Zoom. Requests for inscription on the list of speakers should be made online on INDICO at https://indico.un.org/event/33611. 

Please note that this requirement also applies to those participating through pre-recorded video-messages.
The online inscription for the lists of speakers will close on Thursday 17 February 2022 at 3 p.m. Geneva time.

In view of the current epidemiological conditions related to COVID-19, no parallel event may be organized by NGOs during the 27th session.