HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STRESSES NEED FOR FOLLOW-UP BY STATES ON OBSERVATIONS BY HUMAN RIGHT COMMITTEE

23 March 1998

Press Release
HR/CT/502

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STRESSES NEED FOR FOLLOW-UP BY STATES ON OBSERVATIONS BY HUMAN RIGHT COMMITTEE

19980323 Message Read Out at Opening of Current Session; Committee Also Approves Provisional Agenda, Hears Working Group Report

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, this morning stressed the need to develop procedures that would ensure proper follow-up to the observations of the Human Rights Committee on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in specific countries, in a message read out on her behalf to the opening meeting of the Committee's current session.

The Committee, which reviews reports submitted by States parties to the Covenant on their actions to implement it, prepares concluding observations following its considering of those reports. Among the measures suggested by the High Commissioner to improve follow-up were the sending of evaluation missions to the State party concerned and the provision of technical assistance.

The High Commissioner also addressed the Committee's role under the Covenant's first Optional Protocol, by which it considers confidential communications received from individuals who claim that their Covenant rights have been violated. She said the Committee's decision to consider jointly, whenever possible, both the admissibility and the merits of individual communications would provide a more timely response to victims of human rights violations. Nevertheless, procedural innovations alone could not solve the problem of considering both States parties' reports and the ever-increasing number of communications within the same allotted meeting time and inadequate resources -- a matter about which she shared the Committee's concerns. On the same theme, Committee Chairman Christine Chanet, the expert from France, said that although a recent reorganization had resulted in its secretariat staff being cut in half, the Committee's Bureau was attempting to carry on its work as in the past.

Also this morning, the Committee heard a report on the activities of its working group, which addresses issues relating to communications received under the first Optional Protocol, as well as the submission and consideration of reports by States parties. Prior to the current session, those functions were handled by two separate working groups.

In other business, the Committee this morning approved the agenda for its current session, by which it will consider reports submitted by Cyprus, Ecuador, Finland, Uruguay and Zimbabwe on their compliance with the Covenant (for additional background, see Press Release HR/CT/501 of 19 March.) It also approved the list of issues it will submit to Cyprus, Uruguay and Zimbabwe, to be raised during its consideration of their reports.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to conclude its consideration of questions to be presented to Ecuador and Finland.

Message from High Commissioner for Human Rights

ELISSAVET STAMATOPOULOU-ROBBINS, Acting Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, reading out a message from the High Commissioner, Mary Robinson, said the next five years had been set as the target for achieving universal ratification of human rights covenants, conventions and optional protocols. Assisting States in identifying the shortcomings in their implementation of the Covenant was the essence of the Committee's work. That involved examining States' reports, questioning delegations, and recommending remedial action. The Committee's work would remain an indispensable core contribution to the human rights programme of the United Nations.

She said the High Commissioner was encouraged by the Committee's decision to streamline its procedures, both in respect of periodic reporting and individual complaints procedures. Its decision to consider jointly, whenever possible, both the admissibility and the merits of individual communications was a welcome signal of its commitment to greater efficiency. More importantly, it also provided a more timely response to victims of human rights violations.

Regarding further procedural innovations, she stressed the need to develop procedures to ensure proper follow-up to the Committee's observations. That could be accomplished by the sending of evaluation missions to the State party concerned or the provision of technical assistance. More focused reporting was another measure which could enhance treaty bodies' assistance to States. Yet, procedural innovations alone could not solve the problem of considering both States parties' reports and the ever-increasing number of communications within the same allotted meeting time and with inadequate resources.

She said the High Commissioner shared the Committee's concern about resources and had begun more systematic fund-raising activities as part of the restructuring of her Office. In addition, a database with full search capacity had been designed to assist the Committee in its work relating to the First Optional Protocol, and it should be in service soon after the Committee's session this summer in Geneva.

Human Rights Committee - 3 - Press Release HR/CT/502 1645th Meeting (AM) 23 March 1998

Statements

CHRISTINE CHANET, expert from France and Committee Chairman, said that although the recent reorganization had resulted in the Committee's secretariat staff had being in half, its Bureau was attempting to carry on its work as in the past. She also announced that Pilar Gaitan de Pombo, expert from Colombia, would be unable to attend the current session because of a recent illness.

NISUKE ANDO, expert from Japan and Chairman of the Committee's six- member Working Group, said the Group had met from 16 to 20 March. In considering the lists of issues to be presented to the five States whose reports are being considered at the current session, they met with representatives of governments, non-governmental organizations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). They also met with such groups as Equality Now and the Latin American Association of Disappeared Persons, and considered written materials, including some provided by Committee members.

In addition, six decisions regarding admissibility of communications had been distributed to Committee members, and five remained pending, he said. The Working Group would meet again this afternoon.

He said that draft general comments on article 12 had been prepared by the Special Rapporteur, but the Working Group had been unable to discuss them because of time constraints. Following general practice, the suggestion was that the text be submitted to members for their comments, rewritten as appropriate, and again resubmitted to the Working Group for its consideration.

[Article 12 states that everyone lawfully within the territory of a State has liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence within that territory. It also affirms his right to leave any country, including his own, and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country.]

Describing the overall situation in the Working Group, he said that better assistance was needed from the secretariat. Staff assigned to the Working Group were adept at communications, but they had no experience in article 40 issues, and there were not enough members on the Working Group. Also, working on communications was more difficult in New York, as all the related material was in Geneva.

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