Human Rights Council: New Treaty on Mercenaries and New Special Procedures

The resolutions adopted at the recent session of the Human Rights Council are not yet posted on the website of the Council, but the highlights include:

• the start of the drafting process of a new treaty on mercenaries and military contractors;
• a new special rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly
• a new working group on the elimination of discrimination against women.

It was touch and go until the end, on Friday, but the mandate of the independent expert on Sudan was renewed, this time with a stronger majority than in the past.
Also, the High Commissioner was successful in fighting off an initiative from Cuba that threatened her independence by suggesting a degree of oversight by the Council. The compromise was adoption of a Presidential Statement.
When the documents are available, they will be posted here.