Last revised: 28 July 2003
The Sub-Commission has sessional working groups that meet during its annual session and intersessional groups that meet outside of its regular session. Each group is comprised of five members. Currently there are two sessional groups and four intersessional groups. In addition, the Social Forum, though not technically referred to as a working group, is scheduled to meet for two days intersessionally and is comprised of ten members.
The members of each working group are appointed in an equal distribution, representing each of the five geographic regions.
The Sub-Commission decides annually whether to continue the sessions of the working group on the administration of justice. Several working papers and topics are pending before this group, so it is likely to continue. Members of this year's group will be elected at the first day of the Sub-Commission's session.
Members selected this year for this group are Ms. Françoise Hampson (Western Europe and other States), Ms. Antoanella Iulia Motoc (Eastern Europe), Mr. Soli Sorabjee (Asia), Mr. Yozo Yokota (alternate, Asia), and Ms. Lalaina Rakotoarisoa (Africa). [The Latin American representative is currently left open, but will apparently be filled in the next few days]. Ms. Motoc was again elected as Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group at its first meeting on 28 July 2003.
This working group is in the 2nd year of a 2nd three year term. Current members are Mr. El-Hadji Guissé (expert from Senegal, Chairperson-Rapporteur), Mr. Miguel Alfonso Martinez (expert from Cuba), Mr. Oleg Malguinov (alternate from the Russian Federation), Mr. Soo Gil Park (expert from South Korea), and Mr. David Weissbrodt (expert from the United States).
The working group on minorities met for its 9th annual session from May 12-16, 2003. Members are Mr. Asbjorn Eide (Norway, elected as Chairperson-Rapporteur), Mr. José Bengoa (expert from Chile), Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (expert from Russia), Mr. Soli Sorabjee (expert from India), and Mrs. Leila Zerrougui (expert from Algeria)
This working group met for its annual session in May, 2003. Members are Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (expert from Brazil, elected as Chairperson-Rapporteur), Mrs. Halima Embarek Warzazi (expert from Morocco), Mr. Abdel Sattar (expert from Pakistan), Mr. Stanislav Ogurtsov (expert from Belarus), and Mr. Fried van Hoof (expert from the Netherlands).
The working group on indigenous populations held its 21st annual session July 21-25, 2003. Members are Mr. Miguel Alfonso Martinez (expert from Cuba, elected as Chairperson-Rapporteur); Mr. El Hadji Guisse (expert from Senegal); Ms. Françoise Jane Hampson (expert from the United Kingdom); Ms. Antoanella-Iulia Motoc (expert from Romania); and Mr. Yozo Yokota (expert from Japan).
The working group on communications is the only group whose sessions are not open to the public. It considers confidential human rights complaints for referral to the Commission on Human Rights under the Commission's "1503" procedure. Traditionally the group meets in late August, after each Sub-Commission session.
Members are Mr. Fisseha Yimer (expert from Ethiopia), Mr. Shiqiu Chen (expert from China), Mr. Vladimir Kartashkin (expert from the Russian Federation), Mr. Manuel Rodriguez-Cuadros (expert from Peru), and Mr. David Weissbrodt (expert from the United States).
The Social Forum will meet for two days outside of the Sub-Commission's regular session, possibly later this fall. On 25 July 2003 ECOSOC adopted a resolution authorizing the Social Forum to meet intersessionally on an annual basis and to select ten of its members to attend the session (the ten representatives to be equally distributed amongst the five regional groupings). ECOSOC approval was the final step required to permit the Forum to be held. It is anticipated that the dates and members to attend the next Social Forum will be announced during or shortly after the present Sub-Commission session. The Social Forum's theme this year will be rural poverty