Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights is the main subsidiary body of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

The Sub-Commission was first formed in 1947, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Its primary mandate is described as:

• "To undertake studies, particularly in the light of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to make recommendations to the Commission concerning the prevention of discrimination of any kind relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms and the protection of racial, national, religious and linguistic minorities."

Other functions and tasks may also be assigned to it by ECOSOC or the UN Commission on Human Rights.

It is composed of 26 experts in the field, each with an alternate and each elected for a term of four years, with half of the posts up for election every two years. Membership is selected from amongst the eligible candidates from United Nations member states in such a way as is supposed to result in roughly equal and proportional representation from each of the continents.

As of 2004, the breakdown of membership comprised of:

• 7 from African States,
• 5 from Asian States,
• 5 from Latin American States,
• 3 from Eastern European States,
• 6 from Western European and other States.

The Sub-Commission has six working groups, which each deal with different aspects within its overall remit. These are:

• Working Group on Communications;
• Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery;
• Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP);
• Working Group on Minorities;
• Working Group on Administration of Justice;
• Working Group on Transnational Corporations.

[edit] External links

• UN site for Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights