Reading Materials

During one month, the participants will discuss a series of short texts on subjects of the Colloquium. This kind of preparation will allow the learning and the reviewing of the basics of each of the subjects, so that the discussions can be richer. Furthermore, because of this kind of preparation, the speakers may, during their presentations, discuss the subjects in more depth, and will have more tools to prepare their presentations in accordance with the expectations of the participants.

For the next month, every Monday, the required reading materials are going to be send to each of the participants and posted here, and the participants will be required to send a completed assignment from the prior week’s reading. The participants will have one week to work on each subject. To clarify, the dates are as follows:

 Subject

Dates for sending reading materials

I – Warm-up Exercise: What is the purpose of the UN?

September 17th

II - The UN Human Rights Council

September 24th

III– Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

October 1st

IV– UN Special Rapporteurs

October 8th

V – Working Groups

October 15 th

VI – Security Council and International Criminal Court

October 22th

VII – Evaluation of the Colloquium

October 29th

 

I. What is the purpose of the UN?

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

- Annan, Kofi. In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all: Report of the Secretary-General. United Nations, A/59/2005. Chapter V. Available at: http://www.un.org/largerfreedom/chap5.htm

- HOPKINS, Michael. “Paths to development: the UN versus private business”. Open Democracy, Democracy News Analysis, November 21, 2006. Available at: http://www.opendemocracy.net/node/4113/pdf

- UN Chart. Available at: http://www.un.org/aboutun/chart_en.pdf

SUPPLEMENTAL READING MATERIALS (OPTIONAL)

- Wolfgang H. Reinicke and Francis Deng with Jan Martin Witte, Thorsten Benner, Beth Whitaker, and John Gershman. CRITICAL CHOICES: The United Nations, Networks, and the Future of Global Governance. International Development Research Centre, Better World Fund, United Nations Foundation 2000. Available at: http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/271-6/ .


II - The UN Human Rights Council

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

- SHORT, Katherine. “From Commission to Council: has the United Nations succeeded in creating a credible human rights body?”. Sur – International Human Rights Journal, No. 9, 2008. Available at: http://www.surjournal.org/eng/conteudos/pdf/9/short.pdf

SUPPLEMENTAL READING MATERIALS (OPTIONAL)

- NADER, LUCIA. “The role of NGOs in the UN Human Rights Council.” Sur – International Human Rights Journal, No. 7, 2007. Available at: http://www.surjournal.org/conteudos/pdf/7/nader.pdf

- Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, [without reference to a Principle Committee (A/60/L. 48)] 60/251, Human Rights Council, March 15, 2006 (adopted on April 3, 2006). Available at http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/leituras/UN Resolution 60.251_En.pdf

 

III– Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

- Road Map for civil society engagement with the UPR. Publication produced by Conectas Human Rights, with the International Service for Human Rights. São Paulo, Brasil, 2008. Available at http://www.conectas.org/coloquio/leituras/RoadMap_en_16.09.09.pdf

SUPPLEMENTAL READING MATERIALS (OPTIONAL)
- BRETT, Rachel. “ A Curate's Egg UN Human Rights Council: Year 3 19 June 2008 to 18 June 2009 ”. Quaker United Nations Office, Human Rights & Refugees Publications, August 2009. Available at http://www.quno.org/geneva/pdf/humanrights/ACuratesEgg200908.pdf


IV – UN Special Rapporteurs

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Seventeen Frequently Asked Questions About United Nations Special Rapporteurs. Fact Sheet no. 27. Geneva. P. 1. 2000.  Available at:  http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/FactSheet27en.pdf

- Chapter about the Special Rapporteurs - Read from page 14 to 16
BRETT, Rachel. “ A Curate's Egg UN Human Rights Council: Year 3 19 June 2008 to 18 June 2009 ”. Quaker United Nations Office, Human Rights & Refugees Publications, August 2009. Available at:  http://www.quno.org/geneva/pdf/humanrights/ACuratesEgg200908.pdf

 

V – Working Groups

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. “Working with the United Nations Human Rights Programme: A Handbook for Civil Society”. New York and Geneva, 2008. Available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/CivilSociety/Documents/Handbook_en.pdf (English). Read pages 31-56

 

VI – Security Council and International Criminal Court

REQUIRED READING MATERIALS

- Weschler, Joanna.”The Security Council and Human Rights”. Published in “The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century”. David M. Malone, editor. Lynne Rienner Publishers, February 2004.

- Read Articles 1 to 21 of the Rome Statute. Available at: http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/statute/romefra.htm