1. Conference Service Resources in Support of the Treaty Body System
Division of Conference Management, UNOG
02April 2012
Ms. Kira Kruglikova, Executive Officer

2. What are conference services?
Meetings support
Interpretation
Summary Record Drafting
Meeting Room Attendants
Sound technicians
Captioning
Documentation
Editing
Translation
Terminology
Referencing
Formatting
Printing
Distribution
Braille
Provided in six official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish)

3. Division of Conference Management, UNOG
Integrated global management (IGM) of conference servicing under the USG, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM)
Under the authority of UNOG Director-General
Resources allocated in Section 2 of the budget

4. Legislative Framework
The Committee on Conferences determines the legislative framework for provision of conference services.
Four goals:
Quality
Timeliness
Cost-effective
Quantity

5. How do we do it? Mix of modes Language-specific Permanent capacity
Freelance temporary staff
Contractual
Language-specific
Six languages means 30 potential combinations
Need right combination for each task

6. Growing Workload - meetings

7. Treaty Bodies Consume Resources

8. Growing Workload - documentation
2011 – 62.3 million words processed (10% more than 2010; 33% more than 2006)

9. Largest volume of documentation

10. 2012-2013 budget Section 2 Changes DCM Changes
$10 million resources returned for summary records
$10 million reduced – no reason specified
DCM Changes
$2.8 million additional for contractual translation
$1 million reduction in printing supplies
Net $1.38 million reduction for freelancers
$2.77 million allocated for extra week of CRPD
$5.74 million allocated for HRC decisions in 2011

11. Some figures Budget not allocated to specific clients
Treaty Body share of expenditures very roughly $72 million
For example, one additional week of meetings for CESCR estimated to cost $523,000
Four languages (E,F,R, and S)
270 pages of documentation
Summary Records

12. Another example
One additional week of meetings for CRPD estimated to cost $1,385,400 annually
Six languages interpretation - $105,300
920 pages of documentation - $669,200
Summary Records (E, F, and S only) - $143,300
Sign language - $222,900
Braille - $223,900
Captioning - $10,000

13. Something has to change
Existing resources are already inadequate
Workload still growing
What can be done?

14. Successes
CEDAW proactively reviewed its entire conference servicing mandate to focus on highest priorities
Summary records only in English
Replies to lists of issues fully mandated
UPR, after initial difficulties, successful disciplined body
93% on time submission of reports
Reports kept within self-imposed word limits

15. Summary records – background
Summary record is official record of meetings
Different from verbatim report
No legal status
Decision to change or relinquish a given entitlement is with intergovernmental body
Could change number of languages
Could request only certain meetings have SRs
Could have SRs drafted upon request from sound recordings

16. Proposal in budget Budget proposed changes
Continue creation of summary records in English or French
Geneva practice is half of meetings are done in English and half in French
Replace translation with access to secure, searchable digital recordings in all official languages
Printed version of records available upon request
Pilot project in UNOV

17. Response
ACABQ recommended taking into account views of bodies entitled to summary records
Committee on Conferences deferred discussion to Fifth Committee
Concerns about lack of consultations with intergovernmental bodies, erosion of multilingualism, security of closed meetings, user friendliness of webcast/recording, etc.

18. Fifth Committee
Fifth Committee declined to approve proposal on changing summary records globally
In its Pattern of Conferences resolution, stressed that proposals for changes require approval by Member States in their relevant intergovernmental bodies

19. Priorities and Realities
Existing resources are inadequate to fulfil the conference servicing mandate for treaty bodies
Current service levels will erode further
Priorities – interpretation for meetings, translation of documents (core documents, initial and subsequent reports, replies to lists of issues, etc.), accessibility, meeting records
DCM ready to work with each body to identify possibilities for change