THE CONTRIBUTION OF NGOS TO CERD’S WORK NGOs might negotiate with the appropriate authority to become involved in the drafting process. Some governments may be willing and even keen to consult national NGOs in order to avoid being criticized for an incomplete state report. In other states, any contacts with the government may be impossible. Whatever the outcome of any such consultations with the government, NGOs are well advised to keep their independence. Illustration — The Finnish League for Human Rights The Finnish League for Human Rights (FLHR) has been involved in the preparatory process of Finland’s state reports for all the UN human rights treaty bodies, including CERD. While it is not suggested that the Finnish practice should be a model, it is a good example of successful cooperation between a government and NGOs. According to Mr Martin Scheinin, former chairperson of the FLHR and currently a member of the UN Human Rights Committee:35 ‘Although NGOs find reason to criticize the existence of human rights problems in Finland, there is a relatively well functioning dialogue between the government and civil society actors, including NGOs. One dimension of this dialogue is the existence of a government-appointed Advisory Board for International Human Rights Affairs that discusses Finland’s reports to the various treaty bodies at a draft stage. More than half of the members of the Advisory Board have been proposed by NGOs or are independent academic experts. In these discussions, NGOs may influence the final version of the report. In recent years, this method of NGO involvement has been supplemented or even replaced with the practice of arranging a public hearing at a rather early stage of drafting a government report. In these hearings, a broader range of NGOs than those represented in the Advisory Board may present their opinions about what problems should be raised in the government report. [...] It is the responsibility of the government to write and submit the report. Although many NGOs do not want to participate in the actual writing of the report they do wish to present their criticism to those government officials that compile the reports.’ If the report has already been produced, a copy is generally available from the government. If NGOs have difficulties in obtaining it, CERD s Secretariat can indicate the document number for a copy to be ordered from the documentation desk at the UN Office in Geneva (see Useful addresses at the back of this manual). Documents of this kind are also available on the website of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.unhchr.ch). 12 When the report has reached the Committee, after editing and translation into the official languages by the UN Secretariat, the country concerned will be put on the list of pending reports. At the session immediately following the reception of the report, the Committee will normally decide which countries on the list will be examined at the next session and who will be assigned as Country Rapporteurs. (If the Committee receives the report during a session, such a decision may be taken at the same session.) In view of the workload of the Committee, a report will normally be examined two or three sessions after it is put on the waiting list. However, the Committee usually gives priority to initial reports, reports submitted after long delays and reports from countries where there are important developments.36 It is advisable for NGOs to establish a schedule for the production of a supplementary report or other relevant information, once the dates of the examination of the report are fixed. NGOs can make contacts with ... the Country Rapporteur — It is highly recommended that NGOs which plan to provide information to CERD contact the Country Rapporteur for the country concerned. The name of the Country Rapporteur can be obtained from the CERD Secretariat, in addition to their contact information, if an expert has consented to make it available to the public. Otherwise, communicate with the Country Rapporteur via the Secretariat. NGOs may indicate to the Country Rapporteur their intention to submit a supplementary report and/or ask for advice about the content and format of the report, and about when and where it should be sent. In some cases, inviting the Country Rapporteur to the country concerned to attend a briefing of national NGOs can be considered, especially if the latter cannot be in Geneva during the consideration of the state report. Some former Country Rapporteurs have told us about the usefulness of such briefings. ... other NGOs — It may often be more effective to produce a supplementary report in collaboration with other NGOs. By doing so, NGOs can avoid duplicating their work and use their knowledge, materials and resources in an effective way. Moreover, members of CERD are less likely to read all of the NGO reports if they receive too many. Separate reports dealing with the same issues may even confuse experts in comprehending actual situations. Such an approach can take two forms: NGOs can either produce a joint report under the name of a coalition, or ICERD: A GUIDE FOR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS