Under the terms of paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 of resolution 6/15, the Human Rights Council:
a
Decided to establish a Forum on Minority Issues to provide a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues pertaining to persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, which shall provide thematic contributions and expertise to the work of the independent expert on minority issues;
b
Decided that the Forum shall meet annually for two working days allocated to thematic discussions;
c
Decided that the independent expert on minority issues shall convene the Forum and guide its work, including by identifying annual thematic subjects for discussion in consultation with the Forum, and invite her to include in her report a summary of its annual discussions and recommendations for future thematic subjects, for consideration by the Council;
d
Requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide all the necessary support to facilitate the convening of the Forum and the participation of relevant stakeholders from every region in its meetings giving particular attention to ensuring broadest possible participation, including in particular representation of women;
e
Requested the Secretary-General to provide the Forum, within existing resources of the United Nations, with all the services and facilities necessary to fulfil its mandate.
2
It is estimated that, pursuant to the resolution adopted by the Council, total full costs of $134,800 per year are estimated for the biennium 2008-2009 for:
a
Conference services to be provided to the Forum on Minority Issues for an annual session of two working days of meetings in the biennium 2008-2009;
b
Travel and daily subsistence allowance of the independent expert on minority issues and additional participants called for in paragraphs 3, 4 and 6;
c
Consultants’ requirements.
United States dollars | Section 2, General Assembly and Economic and Social Council affairs and conference management | 70 600 | Section 23, Human rights | 62 800 | Section 28E, Administration, Geneva | 1 400 | Total | 134 800
3
Adoption of the resolution will lead to discontinuation of the annual three working days of meeting of the Working Group on Minorities. The current provisions associated with the Working Group per year are as follows:
a
$149,500 under section 2;
b
$34,900 under section 23;
c
$1,900 under section 28 E.
4
The provisions referred to in paragraph 3 above, which have been included in the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009, are proposed to offset the estimated requirements for the Forum on Minority Issues, outlined in paragraph 2 above. It is estimated therefore that only an additional amount of $27,900 will be required for the biennium 2008-2009 under section 23, Human rights, to provide for the travel and daily subsistence allowance of the Forum on Minority Issues and consultancy requirements for preparation of forum meetings.
5
Although it is anticipated that an additional amount of $27,900 per year will be required for the biennium 2008-2009 under section 23, no additional resources will be requested, at this juncture, in light of the continuing review by the Council of its subsidiary machinery in
response to General Assembly resolution 60/251. The consolidated statement of requirements arising from the continuing review by the Council and potential absorptive capacity from reduced requirements arising from the revised programme of work under the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2008-2009 will be reported to the General Assembly.
6
With regard to paragraph 7, attention is drawn to the provisions of section VI of General Assembly resolution 45/248 B of 21 December 1990, in which the Assembly reaffirmed that the Fifth Committee was the appropriate Main Committee of the Assembly entrusted with responsibilities for administrative and budgetary matters, and reaffirmed the role of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
