UNITED NATIONS E Economic and Social Distr. GENERAL Council E/CN.4/2003/99 6 January 2003 Original: ENGLISH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-ninth session Item 17 (c) of the provisional agenda PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: INFORMATION AND EDUCATION Public information activities in the field of human rights, including the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights Report of the Secretary-General GE.03-10074 (E) 310103 E/CN.4/2003/99 page 2 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page Introduction ........................................................................................... 1 - 5 3 I. PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ...... 6 - 31 3 A. Publications programme ................................................... 6 - 17 3 B. Use of electronic means .................................................... 18 - 21 5 C. Media liaison .................................................................... 22 - 23 6 D. External relations programmes ......................................... 24 - 30 6 E. World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance ................................ 31 7 II. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION ......................... 32 - 93 7 A. Activities to promote the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance ........................................................... 63 - 70 14 B. Activities of the United Nations information service at the United Nations Office at Geneva ................................ 71 - 84 15 C. Activities of other United Nations information centres and services and United Nations offices ........................... 85 - 93 17 E/CN.4/2003/99 page 3 Introduction 1. In its resolution 2001/63, the Commission on Human Rights requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Commission, at its fifty-ninth session, a report on public information activities, with special emphasis on the activities relating to the World Public Information Campaign. 2. The World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights was launched by the General Assembly in its resolution 43/128 of 8 December 1988, with the objectives of increasing understanding and awareness of human rights and fundamental freedoms and educating the public on the international machinery available for the promotion and protection of those rights and freedoms and the efforts of the United Nations to realize them. 3. The coordination of the United Nations education and public information programmes in the field of human rights was specifically mentioned in General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, as part of the mandate of the post of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 4. The High Commissioner for Human Rights has repeatedly stressed the importance he attaches to the implementation of activities for increasing awareness of human rights among the general public. To meet this objective he has announced the establishment of an External Relations Branch within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 5. The present report supplements information and estimates provided in the Secretary-General’s last report to the General Assembly (A/56/271). Additional information about other educational activities in the field of human rights undertaken within the framework of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004, is available in the relevant report of the High Commissioner to the Commission (E/CN.4/2003/100). I. PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS A. Publications programme 6. The OHCHR publications programme focuses on basic publications such as fact sheets, training and educational material, special issue papers, reference material and promotional material with improved quality and multi-language availability. It is developed and managed in parallel with the OHCHR web site as part of a comprehensive public information strategy. 7. The budget for the 2002-2003 biennium for external printing publications and for the upgrading of the Internet site is US$ 170,400. The publications programme of OHCHR is being restructured to respond to the increasing need for human rights information. 8. Since the last report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly (A/56/271), the demand for OHCHR publications has increased considerably. During the reporting period, E/CN.4/2003/99 page 4 the Office distributed more than 120,000 copies of human rights publications, in addition to the 2,600 copies of each publication distributed by the Distribution Section of the United Nations Office at Geneva to the mailing list established jointly by the Distribution Section and OHCHR. OHCHR has also substantially increased the electronic dissemination of its publications. 1. Fact sheets 9. The Fact Sheet Series consists of booklets directed to the general public providing easy-to-read information on United Nations activities in the field of human rights. All Fact Sheets are available on the OHCHR web site, thereby contributing to their dissemination and a reduction in print runs and a rationalization of costs. 10. In the reporting period, Fact Sheet No. 28, The Impact of Mercenary Activities on the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination, was published in all official languages. Two Fact Sheets were revised: No. 4/Rev.1, Combating Torture, which is now available in Arabic and English, and No. 7/Rev.1, Complaint Procedures, available in English. Translations into other official languages have been requested for both revisions. 2. Training and educational material 11. The OHCHR Guide Series was launched in 2001 with the United Nations Guide for Indigenous Peoples in English, French, Russian and Spanish. The second publication in the series, United Nations Guide for Minorities, was published in all official languages. 12. The Professional Training Series is designed primarily to support the training activities of OHCHR programme of advisory services and technical assistance and to serve as a practical tool for organizations providing human rights education to professional groups. During the period under review, No. 7 of the Series, Training Manual on Human Rights Monitoring, was translated into French and Arabic and both versions are, for the time being, available only in electronic form on the OHCHR web site; translations into other official languages are not envisaged, owing to lack of funds. No. 8 of the Series, The Istanbul Protocol, was published in all official languages. No. 9 of the Series, A Manual on Human Rights for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers, was published in English; translations into other official languages are not envisaged, owing to lack of funds. No. 10 of the Series, Handbook on National Human Rights Plans of Action, was published in English and, owing to the need for regular updating, it is available in English and online only. 3. Special issue papers 13. During the period under review, the following publications were issued: Gender Dimensions of Racial Discrimination (in English); Human Rights and the Environment (published jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme in English); HIV/AIDS and Human Rights - International Guidelines (published jointly with the World Health Organization in all official languages); Human Rights and Disability (in English); the publication is being translated into French and Spanish, while translations into other official languages are not E/CN.4/2003/99 page 5 envisaged, owing to lack of funds; Recommended Principles on Human Rights and Human Trafficking (in English, French and Spanish and is being translated into other official languages); and Abolishing Slavery in All its Forms (in English and is being translated into all official languages). 14. OHCHR also published jointly with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in English: Housing Rights Legislation, United Nations Housing Rights Programme, Report No. 1. 4. Reference material 15. A revised edition of the English version of volume I of OHCHR flagship publication, A Compilation of International Instruments: Universal Instruments, with a foreword by the Secretary-General, is currently being printed. High priority is being given to its preparation in all official languages. 16. The English version of volume 3 of Selected Decisions of the Human Rights Committee under the Optional Protocol has been published and is being translated into French, Spanish and Russian. 5. Promotional material 17. A major development in 2002 was the publication of two illustrated promotional booklets. OHCHR, an introduction to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, was published in English, translated into all official languages and is being printed in French and Spanish. ACT Project: Assisting Communities Together, an account of partnerships between the United Nations and local human rights constituencies, was published in English, French and Spanish. B. Use of electronic means 18. OHCHR has continued to expand the content of its web site in order to reach out to a wider audience. Users may access online new sections with information on approximately 20 human rights subjects. The issues covered include democracy, HIV/AIDS, the environment, human rights in development, adequate housing and indigenous peoples. 19. The Office is committed to making the contents of its web site available to all, including those with disabilities. In this connection, OHCHR has designed several web pages