CHANGE IN WOMEN'S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE WORK PATTERN PROVIDES FOR REAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN IT AND STATES, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE HEARS

Human Rights Committee
Sixty-fifth Session
1739th Meeting (AM)

HR/CT/531
30 March 1999

Committee Also Continues Review of Revised Draft General
Comment on Article 3 of Covenant on Civil and Political Rights


The increased number of sessions of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women now allowed that body to make substantial inroads into the backlog of States parties reports awaiting consideration, and also permitted it to review its methods of work, Jane Connors, Chief, Women's Rights Unit, Division for the Advancement of Women, told the Human Rights Committee this morning.

Addressing the Committee before it continued its review of a revised draft general comment on article 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Ms. Connors said the change in the Committee's pattern of work provided for real exchange between States and the Committee. She also informed members that the new optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was recently approved by the Commission on the Status of Women, and which was expected to be adopted by the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session, would enter into force after accession or ratification by 10 States parties.

The new optional protocol establishes two procedures: an individual communications procedure which will allow communications to be submitted by or on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation of any of the rights set out in the Convention; and a procedure which will allow the Committee to inquire into grave or systematic violations by a State party of those rights. In addition, no reservations are permissable, although any State accepting the Protocol may "opt-out" of the inquiry procedure.

The Chairman of the Human Rights Committee, Cecilia Medina Quiroga, expert from Chile, said that while the new optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women had been approved, there was still much to be done. She hoped the important accessions and ratifications would come in forthwith, and that a truly democratic international community would soon be created.

The revised draft general comment on article 3 of the Covenant -- which replaces General Comment 4 (1981) -- aims to contribute to efforts by the United Nations to integrate the human rights of women throughout the Organization's system, as reflected in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.


The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by consensus at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, 1993, marked historic new steps to promote and protect human rights. Among other things, it urged the universal ratification of human rights treaties, including setting the target date of the year 2000 for the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Declaration also supported the establishment of a special rapporteur on violence against women.

Continuing its review of the revised draft general comment, the Committee reiterated its decision of last week to review paragraph 1, so that it would reflect 20 years of work and experience.

Also this morning, the Committee considered paragraphs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the draft general comment, and agreed to a series of amendments based on suggestions and verbal consensus among members on interpretations of article 3.

The Committee will meet again this afternoon to continue its review of the revised draft general comment on article 3.