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Fifty-third session
Third Committee
 
 

Allocation of items
 

1. The agenda items that have been allocated by the General Assembly to the Third Committee are listed in the letter from the President of the Assembly to the Chairman of the Third Committee (A/C.3/53/1). Background information on those items may be found in the annotations to the agenda (A/53/100).
 
 

Programme of work
 

2. The programme of work (see annex) has been prepared bearing in mind paragraph (b) of rule 99 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, the organizational arrangements agreed upon by the Assembly at the outset of its current session, relevant resolutions and decisions adopted by the Assembly on the rationalization of its work and that of the Third Committee, the schedule of related intergovernmental meetings and the availability of documentation, as well as past experience in the utilization of conference services.
 

3. In accordance with the wish of the Committee, time will be allocated for a question-and-answer session with the special rapporteurs and special representatives on human rights questions, following presentation of their reports under sub-item 110 (b). It should also be noted that delegations may make one statement each under sub-items 110 (a) and (d), which are to be discussed separately. Delegations may also make two statements under sub-items 110 (b), (c) and (e), but they should not make two statements on any one of those sub-items.
 

List of documents
 

4. Attention is drawn to the status of preparation of documentation submitted under the various agenda items allocated to the Third Committee (A/C.3/53/L.1/Add.1). A revised and updated version of the document will be issued shortly before the start of the Committee's work.
 
 

Length of statements
 

5. In accordance with established practice, the Committee has decided to limit statements on all agenda items. The time limit for statements in the general discussion of the various agenda items is seven minutes for delegations and 15 minutes for representatives of groups of delegations. Secretariat officials will also be limited to seven-minute statements, except when they deliver oral reports. In accordance with the decision of the General Assembly, delegations should exercise their right of reply at the end of the day whenever two meetings have been scheduled for that day and whenever such meetings are devoted to consideration of the same item. The first statement in exercise of the right of reply may be five minutes, and the second statement should be no longer than three minutes.
 
 

Conference facilities and meetings arrangements
 

6. Unless otherwise specified, meetings will be held at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The General Assembly has reminded delegations that punctuality is of the utmost importance for ensuring an effective and orderly organization of work and achieving economies for the United Nations. As decided by the Assembly, the requirement of the presence of at least one quarter of the members of the Committee to declare a meeting open and permit the debate to proceed has been waived.
 
 

Control and limitation of documentation
 

7. The Committee's attention is drawn to General Assembly resolution 50/206 C of 23 December 1995 on the control and limitation of documentation. The Secretariat wishes to emphasize, in particular, paragraphs 6, 7 and 8 of that resolution, in which the Assembly requested, inter alia, restraint on the part of members of all intergovernmental bodies in making proposals containing requests for new reports.
 
 

Report of the Economic and Social Council
 

8. The Committee is reminded that in accordance with a decision of the General Assembly, chapters of the report of the Economic and Social Council (A/53/3) are to be considered in conjunction with documentation under other agenda items, as well as under item 12.
 
 

Conclusion of the work of the Committee
 

9. Bearing in mind the allocation of the number of meetings available to the Third Committee and previous decisions of the General Assembly, it is proposed that the Committee set a target date of 20 November for the conclusion of its work.
 
 

Annex
 

Programme of work of the Third Committee
 
 

Programme	Documentation
Week of 5-9 October  Monday, 5 October   3 p.m.: Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 100   Social development, including questions relating to the world social situation and to youth, ageing, disabled persons and the family   6 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on item 100	Relevant section of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)  Report of the Secretary-General on the International Year of Older Persons (A/53/294)
Tuesday, 6 October  10 a.m.: Item 100 - General discussion (continued)
Wednesday, 7 October 10 a.m.:   Item 100 - General discussion (concluded)   1 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on item 100
Thursday, 8 October 10 a.m.: Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 101 - Crime prevention and criminal justice a                             Item 102 - International drug controla                               1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on items 101 and 102	Relevant section of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)  Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (A/53/381)   Report of the Secretary-General on strengthening of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme and on preparations for the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (A/53/380)   Relevant section of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (A/53/383)   Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the United Nations System-wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control (A/53/129-E/1998/58)   Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the Global Programme of Action (A/53/382)
Friday, 9 October  10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 101 and 102 - General discussion (continued)
Week of 12-16 October Monday, 12 October   10 a.m.: Items 101 and 102 - General discussion (continued)
Tuesday, 13 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 101 and 102 - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on items 101 and 102
Wednesday, 14 October 10 a.m.: Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 103 - Advancement of womenb                                                         Item 104 - Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Womenb   1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on items 103 and 104	Relevant section of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)  Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (A/53/38, parts I and II)   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of women in the Secretariat (A/53/376)   Report of the Secretary-General on traffic in women and girls   Report of the Secretary-General on traditional or customary practices affecting the health of women and girls   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report on the United Nations Development Fund for Women   Report of the Secretary-General
Thursday, 15 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 103 and 104 - General discussion (continued)
Friday, 16 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 103 and 104 - General discussion (continued)
Week of 19-23 October Monday, 19 October   3 p.m.:   Items 103 and 104 - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on items 103 and 104
Tuesday, 20 October 3 p.m.:   Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 106   Promotion and protection of the rights of children                                 6 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on item 106	Report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (A/53/41)  Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention on the Rights of the Child   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Representative on the protection of children affected by armed conflict
Wednesday, 21 October  10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Item 106 - General discussion (continued)
Thursday, 22 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Item 106 - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on item 106
Friday, 23 October 10 a.m.: Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 108 c   Elimination of racism and racial discrimination                                                             Item 109 c   Right of peoples to self-determination                     1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on items 108 and 109	Relevant section of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)  Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (A/53/18)   Report of the Secretary-General on the financial situation of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination   Report of the Secretary-General on proposals to supplement the Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and coordination of activities   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (A/53/256)   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance (A/53/269)         Report of the Secretary-General on the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination (A/53/280)   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination
Week of 26-30 October Monday, 26 October   3 p.m.:   Items 108 and 109 - General discussion (continued)
Tuesday, 27 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 108 and 109 - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on items 108 and 109
Wednesday, 28 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 107   Programme of activities of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People         1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on item 107   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on item 107	Report of the Secretary-General on the Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations  Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the programme of activities for the Decade
Thursday, 29 October 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 110 (a) d e   Human rights questions: Implementation of human rights instruments	Relevant sections of the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)  Report of the Human Rights Committee (A/53/40)   Report of the Committee against Torture (A/53/44)   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (A/53/253)   Report of the Secretary-General on operations of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (A/53/230)   Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of General Assembly resolution 52/118   Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Convention against Genocide
	Report of the Secretary-General on the status of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery  Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the ninth meeting of persons chairing the human rights treaty bodies on effective implementation of international instruments on human rights, including reporting obligations under international instruments on human rights (A/53/125)
1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on item 110 (a)
Friday, 30 October 10 a.m.:   Item 110 (a) - General discussion (concluded)   1 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on item 110 (a)
Week of 2-6 November Monday, 2 November   10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 110 (b) d e   Human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms	Report of the Secretary-General on the question of enforced or involuntary disappearances  Report of the Secretary-General on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights   Report of the Secretary-General on strengthening of United Nations action in the field of human rights through the promotion of international cooperation and the importance of non-selectivity, impartiality and objectivity   Report of the Secretary-General on human rights and unilateral coercive measures   Report of the Secretary-General on strengthening of the rule of law   Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004, and public information activities in the field of human rights   Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Cambodia   Report of the Secretary-General on the right to development
Item 110 (c) d e  Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives	Report of the Secretary-General on the safety and security of all humanitarian personnel; and the privileges and immunities of officials of the United Nations Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on the follow-up to the United Nations Year for Tolerance   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the elimination of all forms of religious intolerance         Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Myanmar   Report of the Secretary-General on the programme of technical cooperation prepared by the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights aimed at strengthening institutional capacity in the field of human rights in Haiti   Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Kosovo   Report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in southern Lebanon and West Bekaa   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the interim report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iraq   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Representative on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Nigeria   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities of the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda   Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Representative on Rwanda
	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi
	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Congo
	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons
	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
Item 110 (d) d e  Comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action   Item 110 (e) d e   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights   1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on items 110 (b) to (e)	Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the independent expert on human rights in Haiti           Note by the Secretary-General transmitting the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights         Report of the High Commissioner (A/53/36)
Tuesday, 3 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (continued)
Wednesday, 4 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (continued)
Thursday, 5 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (continued)
Friday, 6 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (continued)
Week of 9-13 November Monday, 9 November   3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (continued)
Tuesday, 10 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Items 110 (b) to (e) - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on items 110 (b), (c), (d) and (e)
Wednesday, 11 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.   Introductory statements and general discussion of:   Item 105   Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: questions relating to refugees and displaced persons and humanitarian questions                                                 1 p.m.: Closure of list of speakers on item 105	Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (A/53/12)  Report of the Executive Committee (A/53/12/Add.1)   Report of the Secretary-General on the new international humanitarian order   Report of the Secretary-General on assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa   Report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the Programme of Action of the Regional Conference to Address the Problems of Refugees, Displaced Persons, Other Forms of Involuntary Displacement and Returnees in the Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Relevant Neighbouring States   Report of the Secretary-General on assistance to unaccompanied refugee minors
Thursday, 12 November  10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Item 105 - General discussion (concluded)   6 p.m.: Deadline for submission of draft proposals on item 105
Friday, 13 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Action on outstanding draft proposals
Week of 16-20 November Monday, 16 November   10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Action on outstanding draft proposals
Tuesday, 17 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Action on outstanding draft proposals
Wednesday, 18 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Action on outstanding draft proposals
Thursday, 19 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Action on outstanding draft proposals
Friday, 20 November 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.:   Item 12 - Report of the Economic and Social Council   Conclusion of the work of the Third Committee	Report of the Economic and Social Council for 1998 (A/53/3)

 

^a It is proposed to discuss items 101 and 102 jointly; delegations may make two separate statements, i.e., one on each item, if they so wish.
 

^b It is proposed to discuss items 103 and 104 jointly; delegations may make two separate statements, i.e., one on each item, if they so wish.
 

^c See General Assembly decision 52/428; items 108 and 109 to be discussed jointly; delegations may make two separate statements, i.e., one on each item, if they so wish.
 

^d See General Assembly decision 52/428; sub-items (a) and (d) to be discussed separately; sub-items (b), (c) and (e) to be discussed jointly.
 

^e See General Assembly decision 52/428; delegations may make one statement each under sub-items (a) and (d) and two statements under sub-items (b), (c) and (e), but should not make two statements on any one of those sub-items.