COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO HOLD THIRTY-FIRST SESSION FROM 10 TO 28 NOVEMBER

Background Release

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO HOLD

THIRTY-FIRST SESSION FROM 10 TO 28 NOVEMBER

Will Consider Reports of Republic of Moldova, Yemen,

Guatemala, Russian Federation and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 6 November (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 10 to 28 November to examine measures taken by the Republic of Moldova, Yemen, Guatemala, the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to comply with the standards of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Those five countries are among the 148 States parties to the treaty, which entered into force in 1976 and which 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 Committee evaluates the reports and makes observations and recommendations on improving the promotion and protection of the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

       At the opening of the session, the Committee is expected to adopt its agenda and programme of work before discussing other substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant.  In the afternoon, the Committee will hear information from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with respect to the reports which it is scheduled to review during the current session.

On Friday, 21 November, the Committee will continue its consideration and discussion of a draft general comment on article 3 of the Covenant on the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights set forth in the treaty.  On Monday, 24 November, it will hold a day of general discussion on article 6 of the Covenant concerning the right to work (E/C.12/2003/7 to 12). 

Committee's Concluding Observations and Recommendations on Last Reports Submitted by Guatemala, Russian Federation and Democratic People’s

Republic of Korea

The Republic of Moldova and Yemen are submitting their initial reports.

Concerning the initial report of Guatemala, which was reviewed in May 1996, the Committee noted among positive aspects the Government’s commitment to the continuity of the process of negotiating a comprehensive peace agreement, as illustrated by the signing in Mexico City on 6 May 1996 of the “Acuerdo Sobre Aspectos Socioeconomicos y Situacion Agraria”.  It welcomed the signing on 29 March 1994 of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and the establishment of the United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitment of the Comprehensive Agreements of Human Rights in Guatemala (MINUGUA).  The Committee recommended that international cooperation should be devoted to the goal of the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights; that the international community support the measures taken by the State party to reform its fiscal and monetary policy and ensure the regular and close monitoring and reviewing of projects undertaken pursuant to various agreements entered into with a view to securing a lasting peace; and recommended that all legislative and other reforms should take into account the need to promote equality and reverse the devastating effects of discrimination against the indigenous populations, in particular through affirmative action.  Finally, the Committee recommended that further measures be taken to prevent and combat the phenomenon of child labour, including through the full respect of the international standards relating to the minimum age of employment of children.

With regard to the third periodic report of the Russian Federation, reviewed in May 1997, the Committee noted among positive aspects the planned reform of a whole range of institutions which were engaged in the delivery of social welfare services; that the inflation had been lowered substantially, that the decline in gross domestic production appeared to have been stopped and some sectors of the economy were beginning to grow again, and that efforts were being taken to improve the system of taxation and tax collection.  It welcomed the present official policy of the State party, which had resulted in a decline in the number of abortions.  Among its suggestions and recommendations, the Committee recommended that more vigorous steps be taken to ensure protection of women against sex discrimination in employment, and that victims of such discrimination might receive compensation from employers who acted illegally; that immediate steps be taken to ensure the payment of wages by both the State and private enterprises, and to punish those who had illegally diverted those funds for other purposes; and it recommended that assistance to those who lived in poverty be increased, and that adequate financial resources be made available so that they could live in dignity.

The initial report of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was considered in two parts by the Committee at its first session in 1987 and at its sixth session in 1991.  In its concluding observations, the Committee thanked the Government for its willingness to continue the dialogue through the regular submission of reports.  It noted with satisfaction that the Government had made efforts to guarantee to citizens the enjoyment of the rights provided for in articles 13 to 15 of the Covenant.  It also noted that the right to culture and education and the provision of free education had been guaranteed for citizens to a certain extent, despite difficulties due to the poverty of the country.  The Committee encouraged the Government to continue its efforts to promote an education system that would stimulate private investment in that field and so enable citizens to exercise greater freedom in choosing educational institutions.

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.

States Parties to Covenant

The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 148 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, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, 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, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

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:  Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Maria Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal), Dumitru Ceausu (Romania), Abdessatar Grissa (Tunisia), Chokila Iyer (India), Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria), Yuri Kolosov (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) and Alvaro Tirado Mejia (Colombia).

* *** *