Most of our team arrived over the weekend. Welcome to Robin, Irfan, Hyder, and Manpreet!
Among other things, the group discussed scheduling, prepared for future speaking and lobbying opportunities, and got up to speed on documentation, credentials, etc. [Please note: that is NOT the new team members in the photo to the right. The camera ran out of battery charge, so we'll have to get a group picture later.]
Barb Frey, U.S. alternate on the Sub-Commission, presented her paper today, on the human rights impact of small arms and light weapons. The interactive dialogue was lively afterwards, very complementary of Barb's work, with various views on additional directions the study should pursue, the seriousness of arms transfers from the north to the south, and the importance of this study. This is the first year of a three year study that Barb Frey has been tasked to complete. The progress report will be filed in 2004 and her final report in 2005. You can read her report at the UN Sub-Commission website.
Other studies and working papers that were discussed today included Mr. Sik Yuen's paper on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Mrs. Motoc's working paper on bioethics, Mr. Decaux's paper on universal treaty ratification, Mrs. Warzazi's study on traditional practices harmful to women, and Mr. Pinheiro's report as chair of the Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the Sub-Commission's discussion under item 6 will continue. Item 3 (administration of justice and the rule of law) under which the Minnesota Advocates will be speaking, will begin late Tuesday or early Wednesday.