HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF WORKING GROUP REPORT

Press Release
HR/CT/561

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF WORKING GROUP REPORT

The Human Rights Committee this afternoon continued its consideration of the report of its working group -- introduced by Eckart Klein (Germany) this morning -- which covered five main areas: plan of action; establishment of indicators; cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); joint meeting with special rapporteurs; and informal consultations with governments.

The plan of action for the Committee regarded communications and related backlogs, overdue State reports and their non-submission, the role of periodicity, Inter-Committee meetings among the various experts of treaty bodies, and the establishment of indicators to assess efforts by United Nations bodies in various countries.

In the exchange of views by members, it was noted that the basic proposals put forward by the working group to enhance the way in which the Committee discharged its responsibilities were good. As a number of experts expressed full support for the recommendations, there was wide acknowledgment that there was a need to change the way in which the Committee performed its work. They stressed that, as a body, the Committee needed to adapt itself, since its present responsibilities were too onerous.

Reiterating that point, another expert noted that the current methods employed by the Committee were not realistic and could not achieve the objectives sought by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Another expert said that any adaptation must include a moratorium that would give State parties sufficient time to respond to new regulations. According to one member, what was being sought was a way to devise a procedure that would simplify the obligations of countries, reduce the burden on the State and improve the efficiency of the reporting system.

States parties also needed clear rules regarding their reporting obligations. Procedures needed to be worked out so that countries could know in time what was required of them. The current recommendations needed to be finessed and worked out in detail. In that light, agreement on the proposed procedures could not be achieved at the current session.

Some experts, however, did not favour the cautious approach advocated by others; they favored quick action, so as to address the more compelling problems currently facing the Committee. Clearing the backlog of communications was cited as one particular area that needed immediate attention.

Also this afternoon, the Committee agreed that the year 2003 would be the dates for Congo, Mongolia and Guyana to submit their next periodic report.

The Committee will meet again at a date and time to be announced. * *** *