22 PROMOTING AND PROTECTING MINORITY RIGHTS The Council holds at least three regular sessions annually, for a total of no fewer than 10 weeks. The main session takes place in March. The Council can hold special sessions upon the request of a member State, if supported by at least one third of the membership. To date, the Council has held 18 such sessions, the subjects of which have addressed country-specific situations in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, Haiti, Myanmar, the Sudan, Sri Lanka, Côte d’Ivoire and Libya, as well as thematic topics, such as the impact of the world financial crisis on human rights and the global food crisis. The Council adopts a number of resolutions and decisions each year, and its sessions attract a large number of observer States, representatives of United Nations specialized agencies and regional institutions, NGOs and others. Those resolutions which express concern over or even condemnation of the human rights situation in a particular country are usually the subject of intense debate and lobbying by States. Notwithstanding the Council’s intergovernmental nature, NGOs are essential in providing it with information. Many of the human rights issues addressed by the Council (and its predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights) have benefited from the forward-thinking initiatives and advocacy of NGOs. The Council can be used as a venue for initiating dialogue with States which can subsequently be continued at country level. Given that Government delegations often operate on instructions from their capital, discussions between the Council and the relevant foreign ministry is often as effective as having a delegation appear in Geneva. On the other hand, only the actual presence of minority rights advocates will enable response to last-minute developments or unexpected resistance. The presence of minority advocates in a United Nations forum might also increase the chances of the United Nations having a fruitful dialogue with the State concerned. The “neutral” territory of the United Nations can make it easier to engage in dialogue in a way that might be impossible within the country. Speaking formally to the Council has the advantage of attracting attention, because of the status of the Council as the most important United Nations human rights forum and the wide audience that it provides. At the same time, however, your issue will be competing with a great number of others for the attention of States and the media. The Council is an excellent place to meet and network with other NGOs, and it offers a good opportunity to make your concerns known to a much wider constituency, although progress is often slow and difficult to measure. However, the extended sessions of the Council and their frequency make it difficult for smaller NGOs and those not based in Geneva to participate on a regular basis in all the meetings.26 Statements in the Council are normally made in the order in which representatives ask to speak, with priority given to members of the Council, observer States and organizations, and thereafter to NGOs which have consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Only these NGOs can be accredited to participate in sessions of the Human Rights Council as observers. Organizations applying for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council must respond to a questionnaire and provide detailed information about their structure, finances and other matters. The application process and other matters relating to NGOs are handled by the Non-Governmental Organizations Section of the Department of Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs in New York.27 Once accredited as observers, NGOs in consultative status enjoy a number of prerogatives within the participatory arrangements provided for by the Council. They are able to submit Human Rights Council sessions are webcast live; see www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/c/un-human-rightscouncil.html (accessed 29 November 2012). 26 Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31. See http://esango.un.org/civilsociety/ (accessed 29 November 2012). 27