Mandate holders of Special Procedures met during the first session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva from June 19 to 23, 2006 to discuss the role of members, in particular the Coordination Committee, in its support of the HRC and revisions of the Manual on Special Procedures. During the meeting, mandate holders stressed the importance of the Special Procedures system and its relationship with the Commission as central to the international human rights system, as well as the importance of its members being non-partisan participants in monitoring human rights. Mandate holders stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination with the HRC in implementing recommendations submitted to States by Special Procedures mechanisms.
The meeting resulted in a report that describes current activities by mandate holders, feedback and suggestions from NGOs and regional and national human rights institutions on human rights areas in need of current attention, a presentation from the office of the Secretary General on Children in Armed Conflict, and a meeting with the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights outlining the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights Strategic Plan.
Compiled from: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Follow-up to the World Conference on Human Rights Effective Functioning of Human Rights Mechanisms (unedited version), Note by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (PDF, 31 pages).