UNITED
NATIONS
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
News and Highlights from the President
General
Assembly met in plenary and approved the appointment of Mr. Sergio Vieira
de Mello as the UN's third High Commissioner for Human Rights
23 July 2002
The General Assembly met in plenary and approved the appointment of Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello as the UN's third High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Following the Secretary-General's recommendation, the Assembly also elected Ms. Anna Tibaijuka as Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme, know as UN-Habitat.
The Assembly then adopted draft resolution A/56/L.82 granting non-governmental organizations accreditation to the Ad Hoc Committee established to Consider Proposals for a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention to Promote and Protect the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. Accreditation will be granted to NGOs that have consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and also to other NGOs on a non-objection basis. Accredited NGOs will be permitted to participate in the work of the Ad Hoc Committee.
The Assembly also
adopted draft decision, A/56/L.83, requesting the Secretary-General to
make reasonable efforts to facilitate the participation by persons with
disabilities in meetings and deliberations of the Ad Hoc Committee. Such
efforts could include: facilitating entry for individuals assisting persons
with disabilities, holding meetings in rooms that are more easily accessible,
issuing documents in advance of meetings so that they can be converted
into an appropriate format and instituting measures which would enable
persons with hearing disabilities to participate in the deliberations
of the Ad Hoc Committee.