Day Eight: Wednesday 15 February 2006
Programme for the day
The focus of the morning session was continuing the speakers list from Tuesday regarding the Options for an Optional Protocol. There was no afternoon session as the time was devoted to the drafting of the report.
Themes from statements
Switzerland outlined the various possibilities (the UK and Canada proposal, giving the chair a clear mandate to draft) without committing itself to any.
Both the UK and Canada responded to the NGO Coalition statement, explaining that what they were proposing was still the commencement of drafting and that in their view the “no optional protocol option” was not part of what they were proposing.
NGO activities
The NGO Coalition and other NGOs (Franciscans International, Amnesty International, the ICJ, COHRE, FIAN, ESCR-Net, OMCT, the Plataforma) made statements on the Options for an Optional Protocol (see the compilation of statements which will be circulated soon). The NGO Coalition members held informal consultations with a number of states regarding proposals being circulated by Canada & the UK regarding proposed wording for a recommendation for the renewal of the mandate which they hope can be adopted by the Working Group, or by the Chair if no consensus can be found in the Working Group. The NGO Coalition does not support the proposed wording as it is too restrictive and does not, in opinion, 100% support a good drafting mandate. NGO representatives also spent time discussing this proposal (including via telephone) with other delegates, including diplomats from the African Group, GRULAC and some European states.
The NGO Coalition held a meeting in the afternoon to discuss the future structure and activities of the NGO Coalition as well as the strategies for lobbying on current pressing challenges to the Working Group. Minutes of this meeting will be circulated separately.
