Background Release

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO HOLD

TWENTY-SEVENTH SESSION FROM 12 TO 30 NOVEMBER

Committee Scheduled to Consider Efforts

Of Sweden, Colombia, Algeria, France, Croatia and Jamaica

(Reissued as received; delayed in transmission.)

GENEVA, 8 November (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 12 to 30 November 2001 to examine the measures taken by Sweden, Colombia, Algeria, France, Croatia and Jamaica to realize these rights.

The six countries are among the 145 States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  The treaty, which entered into force in 1976, recognizes, among other things, the rights to work, to form and join trade unions, to social security, to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family, to an adequate standard of living, to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to an education.

In acceding to the treaty, States agree to submit periodic reports to the Committee on how they give effect to the provisions of the Covenant.  The panel, now in its twenty-seventh session, evaluates the reports and makes observations and recommendations on improving the promotion and protection of the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

In the case of long overdue reports, the Committee may review the implementation of the treaty in a given country based on available information.

At the opening of the session, the Committee will discuss substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant, an exercise during which it is scheduled to hear from non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  It will discuss application of human rights to reproductive and sexual health; methods of work; follow-up to the World Conference against Racism; follow-up to the day of General Discussion on the rights to education; and follow-up to the World Education Forum held in Dakar in April 2000 in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Committee’s Concluding Observations and Recommendations on Last Reports Submitted by Sweden, Colombia, Algeria, France and Jamaica

When Sweden presented its third periodic report in May 1995, the Committee welcomed the recent establishment of the Office of the Children’s

Ombudsman and the previously noted Office of the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination.  The Committee noted with concern the adverse impact of the economic recession on the living conditions of the most vulnerable groups, and the lack of Government information on the problems of child pornography and domestic violence against women.  The Committee encouraged the Government to continue to take adequate measures to ensure that the reduction of its social welfare programmes did not result in a violation of the State party’s obligations under the Covenant.  It also urged the Government to intensify its efforts to combat child pornography and domestic violence against women.

The Committee, after reviewing the third periodic report of Colombiain November 1995, noted with satisfaction the status of international human rights instruments in domestic law and welcomed the establishment of the Office for Human Rights and of the Defensoria del Pueblo (Ombudsman).  The Committee said it was seriously concerned by the persistence of a high level of poverty affecting the majority of the country's  inhabitants, as well as its concern over the existence of a high number of abandoned children.  Among its suggestions and recommendations was that the Government address the problem of inequitable distribution of wealth and that it continue to give priority to efforts to relieve the plight of indigenous communities, displaced persons, the homeless and other persons living on the margins of society.

Following the presentation of the initial report of Algeria in November 1995, the Committee noted with satisfaction that the Algerian Constitution recognized the Covenant's precedence over domestic law in the internal legal system, and that efforts had been made to adopt a set of measures to promote job creation and attenuate the effects of structural adjustment for vulnerable groups.  The Committee expressed deep concern about the political turmoil in daily life in Algeria which was impeding the full realization of the rights guaranteed in the Covenant, as well as deep concern about the many forms of discrimination against women.  It recommended that special attention be given to the problem of discrimination against women; and that the Government pursue an energetic housing policy as well as take measures to include human rights instruction in school curricula.

After consideration of implementation of rights covered by the Covenant in France in February 1989, the Committee noted that the French Government had a strong social policy, and expressed a desire to have more information on economic and social problems and difficulties encountered in implementing the relevant provisions of the Covenant.  The Committee said that French law on the disabled was contrary to the Covenant.  It noted with satisfaction the willingness of the French delegation to provide the Committee with further written information on various questions raised during consideration of the report.

And after considering the second periodic report of Jamaica in January 1990, the Committee thanked the delegation for having answered many of the questions raised by members of the Committee and commended the Government on its activities relating to the dissemination of information on human rights.  It was observed that the country had been struck by economic recession, and

that the Government had made strenuous efforts to mitigate the adverse consequences, but that it had succeeded only marginally.  The attention of the Government was drawn to the desirability of further developing the law with respect to the right to strike.  It was also recalled that although freedom of expression was a fundamental right, restrictions on that right in the interest of public order, public health or morals were permitted under article 19 (3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and that such restrictions might be contemplated if necessary in the fight against drug abuse.

Provisional Timetable for Consideration of Reports

Monday, 12 November

Morning     Adoption of agenda, organization of work, and relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies

Afternoon   Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: NGO hearings

Tuesday, 13 November

Morning     Sweden, fourth periodic report (E/C.12/4/Add.4)

Afternoon   Sweden (continued)

Wednesday, 14 November

Morning     Colombia, fourth periodic report (E/C.12/4/Add.6)

Afternoon   Colombia (continued)

Thursday, 15 November

Morning     Algeria, second periodic report (E/1990/6/Add.26)

Afternoon   Algeria (continued)

Friday, 16 November

Morning     France, second periodic report (E/1990/6/Add.27)

Afternoon   France (continued)

Monday, 19 November

Morning     Croatia, initial report (E/1990/5/Add.46)

Afternoon   Croatia (continued)

Tuesday, 20 November

Morning     Croatia (continued)

Afternoon   Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant: Application of Human Rights to Reproductive and Sexual Health

Wednesday, 21 November

Morning     Jamaica, second periodic report (E/1990/6/Add.28)

Afternoon   Jamaica (continued)

Thursday, 22 November

Morning     Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Afternoon   Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Friday, 23 November

Morning     Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant: methods of work

Afternoon   Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant: follow-up to the World Conference against Racism

Monday, 26 November

Morning     Follow-up to the Day of General Discussion on article 15.1 c

Afternoon   Follow-up to the Day of General Discussion on article 13 and follow-up to the World Education Forum, organized in cooperation with UNESCO

Tuesday, 27 November

Morning     Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Afternoon   Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Wednesday, 28 November

Morning     Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Afternoon   Adoption of concluding observations (closed)

Thursday, 29 November

Morning     Suggestions and general recommendations

Afternoon   Adoption of the report

Friday, 30 November

Morning     Adoption of the report

Afternoon   Adoption of the report

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The General Assembly adopted and opened the Covenant for signature, ratification and accession in 1966.  It entered into force on 3 January 1976. Article 1 of the Covenant states that the right to self-determination is universal and calls upon States to promote the realization and respect of that right.  Article 3 reaffirms the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all human rights and enjoins States to make that principle a reality.  Article 5 provides safeguards against the destruction or undue limitation of any human right or fundamental freedom, and against misinterpretation of any provision of the Covenant as a means of justifying infringement of a right or

freedom or its restriction to a greater extent than provided in the Covenant. It also prevents States from limiting rights already enjoyed within their territories on the ground that such rights are not recognized, or recognized to a lesser extent, in the Covenant.

Articles 6 to 15 recognize the right to work; to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work; to form and join trade unions; to social security, including social insurance; to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family, mothers, children and younger persons; to an adequate standard of living; to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; to an education and to take part in cultural life.

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The Economic and Social Council established the Committee in 1985.  Elected by the Economic and Social Council by secret ballot from a list of persons nominated by State parties to the Covenant, its 18 members are human-rights experts serving in their personal capacity.

The Committee is composed of the following Experts:  Mahmoud Samir Ahmed (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan‑Dandan (Philippines), Dumitru Ceausu (Romania), Abdessatar Grissa (Tunisia), Paul Hunt (New Zealand), Valeri I.  Kouznetsov (the Russian Federation), Giorgio Malinverni (Switzerland), Jaime Marchán Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Kenneth Osborne Rattray (Jamaica), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Philippe Texier (France), Nutan Thapalia (Nepal), and Javier Wimer Zambrano (Mexico).

States Parties to Covenant

The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 145 States:  Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea‑Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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