25 May 1990

14th Plenary Meeting

1990/41. Working Group on Situations of the Commission on Human Rights

The Economic and Social Council,

Taking note of the wish of the Commission on Human Rights to establish a working group to assist it, on a regular basis, in the implementation of Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970,

Noting that, with the approval of the Council, such a working group has been set up annually since 1974 on an ad hoc basis,

Recognizing the valuable contribution of the working group, through the years, in the implementation of the procedure set out in Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII),

1. Authorizes the Commission on Human Rights to establish a working group consisting of not more than five of its members, with due regard to geographical distribution, to meet for a period not exceeding five working days prior to the sessions of the Commission to examine such particular situations as might be referred to the Commission by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities under the procedure set out in Economic and Social Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII) and those situations of which the Commission is seized under that procedure, and to make recommendations to the Commission on the course of action to take in respect of each particular situation;

2. Decides that the working group, to be referred to as the Working Group on Situations, shall be constituted as follows:

(a) Before the end of each session, the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights, in accordance with rule 21 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, and after consultations with the members of each geographical area, shall nominate the members to serve in their personal capacity on the working group at its next session;

(b) If necessary, the Chairman or the outgoing Chairman may at any time, in order to fill a vacancy, designate a member from among all Commission members of the same geographical area;

3. Also decides that the Working Group on Situations shall hold closed meetings and communicate its recommendations confidentially to the Commission on Human Rights, pursuant to paragraph 8 of Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII).