9.
Preparatory activities relating to the World Conference on Human
Rights.
10.
Annual report of the Committee on its activities.
F.
Working methods of the Committee
Ninth session
10. At its 136th meeting, on 20 November 1992, the Committee exchanged views on
possible ways to make its methods of work more effective and requested the
Secretariat to prepare a report which would provide information on the working
methods of other human rights treaty bodies and give the Committee general ideas
on how it could improve its work.
Tenth session
11. In connection with this question, the Committee had before it an informal
note by the Secretariat providing information on the working methods of other
human rights treaty bodies.
12. Owing to lack of time, the Committee decided, at its 152nd meeting, on
29 April 1993, to postpone consideration of this question until its eleventh
session, in November 1993.
G.
Cooperation between the Committee and the Board of Trustees
of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture
13. The Committee and the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary
Fund for Victims of Torture held a joint meeting on 28 April 1993, during the
151st meeting of the Committee. The Chairman of the Committee and the Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Jaap Walkate, provided information on the most
recent activities of both organs and the members exchanged views on how to make
public opinion better informed of their work. Mr. Bent Sørensen, at the
Committee’s invitation, provided information on the activities of the European
Committee established under the European Convention for the Prevention of
Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, of which he had been
member and First Vice-Chairman since September 1989.
H.
Question of a draft optional protocol to the Convention
14. At the 119th meeting, on 9 November 1992, the Chairman of the Committee
informed the other members that he had attended a meeting of the Working Group
set up by the Commission on Human Rights to prepare a draft optional protocol to
the Convention. 1/ The Working Group had held its first session at the United
Nations Office at Geneva from 19 to 30 October 1992. It had welcomed the
comments of the Committee against Torture on the draft optional protocol which
had been submitted to it in a working document (E/CN.4/1992/WG.11/WP.1/Add.2).
15. The Chairman of the Committee provided information on the discussion which
had taken place in the Working Group with his participation. He pointed out
that the Working Group had decided to invite, at its following sessions, a
member of the Committee who would attend the meetings of the Group, give his
contribution to the discussions, and provide information on matters of mutual
concern for both the Group and the Committee.
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