COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS BEGINS THIRTEENTH EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, IN GENEVA (20 NOVEMBER-8 DECEMBER)
Press Release
HR/4248
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS BEGINS THIRTEENTH EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, IN GENEVA (20 NOVEMBER-8 DECEMBER)
19951128 Hears Views of NGOs on Reports of Colombia, Ukraine and AlgeriaGENEVA, 20 November (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights began its thirteenth extraordinary session today, hearing the views of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the reports of Colombia, Ukraine and Algeria.
During its three-week session, the 18-member expert panel will consider country reports on measures taken to give effect to the provisions of the international covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Several speakers who focused on Colombia all said that Colombia fell short of its obligations in fulfilling the conditions leading to the people's enjoyment of those rights. The NGOs also cited the problem of farmers who were either displaced or forced to grow coca leaves for their subsistence. Beyond the total deprivation of their economic and social rights, street children were being "socially cleansed" by squads that killed them without mercy.
Other matters brought up before the Committee this afternoon were as follows: A representative of the Crimean Tartars of Ukraine drew the attention of the Committee to the Tartars' lack of adequate housing and of education in their own language. Only 4.5 per cent of their people received such education, the report stated. The question of Algerian women was brought before the Committee by the representative of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom who said that they should be emancipated and their role not limited to motherhood.
Statements Made
ALBERTO LEON GOMEZ ZULUAGA, of the Andean Commission of Jurists, stressed that Colombia did not meet its obligations in matters of allocation of adequate resources so that citizens could realize their economic, social and cultural rights. The wave of violence perpetrated against leaders and
members of trade unions had aggravated the economic and social situation of the country. The number of deaths by violence, killings, and disappearances of workers kept increasing. They were all victims because they sought to exercise their trade union rights.
Violence had become the first cause of deaths, he said. Preventive measures had not been undertaken to reduce the causes of those violent deaths. Generally, 60 per cent of the population had no access to health care. Of the country's 900 hospitals, only 320 were allowed to function. Health care centres were mainly concentrated in urban areas while the majority of the population lived in rural regions.
ALIRIO URIBE, of the Association of Lawyers Working for the Service of Colombian Workers, told the Committee that Colombia did not make known the report it had submitted. It had not consulted the views of those concerned, at least of those working for the realization of human rights. People were not able to benefit from the rights enshrined in articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Covenant because the labour reform did not allow supply and demand to regulate the market. The absence of guarantees weakened employment conditions, as well as benefits in cases of dismissal. In addition, inflation had risen substantially, while salary increments remained behind without matching it. Satisfactory compensation was not given either to those who lost their jobs or to those whose revenue was reduced because of inflation.
AMANDA ROMERO, of the Latin American Institute for Alternative Legal Services/Food First Information and Action Network International, said that adequate housing and the problems relating to land reform had been some of the factors that had led to the impoverishment of the majority of the population. The question of land ownership had also been a major problem that hampered the development of the poor farmers of the highland regions. The agrarian problem was intensified by the activities of drug traffickers who owned lands for the growing of coca leaves. The Government did not allocate sufficient resources to the farmers to enable them to grow other marketable crops. The right to food was violated by the fact that people were displaced to hostile and unfamiliar regions. They were also forced to leave their land for exile to urban areas.
PAULINA GONZALEZ of the FUNDAC said children and women were the most vulnerable segments of Colombian society and were exposed to extreme conditions of poverty. Out of a population of 35 million, 20 million were living in poverty, unable to enjoy their economic and social rights. The absence of adequate housing and enough revenue for families had aggravated the living conditions of the population in general. As mothers, women were not able to provide sanitary and nutritive assistance to their children. Cases of street children and their "social cleansing" by death squads was one of the great problems faced by the society.
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MICHAEL WINDFUHR, of the Food First Information and Action Network International, speaking an behalf of the black community in Colombia, deplored their deprivation of economic and social rights. Although there was no official figure showing the proportion of the black community, it was estimated that they constituted 25 per cent of the total population. The loss of their lands and the violence targeted against them had resulted in their displacement within the country. They were not able to enjoy autonomy through the exercise of their traditions and cultural heritage.
Comments Relating to Reports of Ukraine and Algeria
VERONIQUE DE WEICHS DE WENNE, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tartar People, said the 45 per cent unemployment rate was considerably higher than among other sectors of Ukraine's population. The discrimination in that field was a serious problem. Although Crimean Tartars constituted 10 per cent of the Crimean's population, they held only 0.5 per cent of Government jobs. Some 16,000 families had requested housing from the Government, which was not forthcoming for lack of money. The proposal to prohibit the privatization of houses which had belonged to Crimean Tartars before the deportation, and for their gradual return to their rightful owners and heirs, was being rejected by the authorities. As to education, the lack of teaching children in their mother tongue posed a major discrimination problem for the Crimean Tartars.
GENEVIEVE JORDAN, of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, said Algerian women were not able to speak to the Committee and she was speaking on their behalf. The concept of women' rights constituted the unconditional elimination of violence perpetrated against them, be it structural or domestic. Algeria was traversing long and cruel years of conflict. Although the outcome of a profound change was not hoped for in the near future, at least the application of economic, social and cultural rights to ameliorate the problem was hoped for. As a State party, Algeria was obliged to implement article 3 of the Covenant which stipulated the equality of rights between men and women. She called for the emancipation of Algerian women and help in their struggle for respect of their rights.
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