Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE OPENS THIRTY-THIRD SESSION
15 November 2004
Share
Committee against Torture
15 November 2004
Hears Address by Representative of Office of High Commissioner
for Human Rights; Adopts Agenda and Programme of Work
The Committee against Torture this morning opened its thirty-third session by hearing an address by a representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and adopting its agenda and programme of work.
Jane Connors, Team Leader in the Treaties and Follow-up Unit of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that High Commissioner Louise Arbour had repeatedly underlined the crucial importance of upholding the rule of law and international human rights standards and the role of the treaty bodies in this respect.
Ms. Connors drew attention to the continued efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner to implement the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, outlined in his 2002 report “Strengthening the United Nations: an agenda for further change”, and mentioned that related ongoing activities, under the so-called “Action 2 Programme”, were officially launched by the High Commissioner at a ceremony in New York on 27 October.
Among other things, Ms. Connors said the Office of the High Commissioner was encouraged by the work of the Committee on the drafting of a second General Comment on article two of the Convention, which stated that protection from torture was a non-derogable right, and by its decision to dedicate time in plenary to meetings with international and national non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and funds.
The Committee also adopted its agenda and programme of work and discussed organizational and other matters, after hearing the views of Committee Experts on various aspects of the lists of issues on country reports scheduled to be considered during the current session.
During its two-week session, the Committee will review measures undertaken by Argentina, the United Kingdom and Greece to prevent and punish acts of torture. These countries are among the 138 States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Also, the Committee’s 10 Independent Experts will review, in closed session, information appearing to contain well-founded indications that torture is systematically being practiced in some States parties; and complaints from individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by a State party of the provisions of the Convention.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 November to take up the fourth periodic report of Argentina (document CAT/C/55/Add.7).
Statement by Representative of Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights
JANE CONNORS, Team Leader in the Treaties and Follow-up Unit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that High Commissioner Louise Arbour had repeatedly underlined the crucial importance of upholding the rule of law and international human rights standards and the role of the treaty bodies in this respect. The High Commissioner was aware of the important role of the treaty bodies and was strongly committed to ensuring that the work of the Committee received all the necessary support from her Office.
Ms. Connors recalled that at her address to the Biennial Conference of the International Commission of Jurists “Security under the Rule of Law”, held in Berlin in August of this year, the High Commissioner had reiterated the statement of the Committee made in November 2001 that reminded States parties to the Convention against Torture of the non-derogable nature of many of the obligations undertaken by them in ratifying the Convention.
Ms. Connors drew attention to the continued efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner to implement the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, outlined in his 2002 report “Strengthening the United Nations: an agenda for further change”. She said the Third Inter-Committee Meeting, held in June this year, had examined draft guidelines on an expanded core document and treaty-specific targeted reports. In this connection, she reminded Committee Experts that Kamel Filali, member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, who was serving as Rapporteur on this matter, would be meeting with the Committee on 19 November. Ms. Connors also mentioned the decision taken allowing any State party wishing to prepare reports using the draft guidelines to do so, while adding that the Government of Timor Leste had expressed at the sixtieth session of the Commission on Human Rights its wish to submit its reports now due to all seven treaty bodies through a consolidated system. In this regard, she recalled that the sixteenth Chairpersons Meeting and the third Inter-Committee Meeting also made recommendations related to the harmonization of working methods so as to produce a consistent approach, including on lists of issues and questions, follow-up procedures and interaction with United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations, and national human rights institutions.
Ms. Connors underlined that ongoing activities concerning the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, under the so-called “Action 2 Programme”, were officially launched by the High Commissioner at a ceremony in New York on 27 October, and aimed to enhance inter-agency collaboration in promoting human rights at the country level. The Office of the High Commissioner was actively involved in these activities and had prepared guidance notes for United Nations Country Teams in how they could engage in the work of the human rights treaty bodies.
Ms. Connors also indicated that the Secretariat of the Secretary-General’s Study on violence against children was now involved in preparing the regional Study’s consultations that would take place during 2005. Organizing steering committees had started to work in Cairo, Bangkok, Dakar and Buenos Aires; and one such meeting took place in Geneva in September for the Central and Eastern European States, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic region.
The Office of the High Commissioner was encouraged by the work of the Committee on the drafting of a second General Comment on article two of the Convention, which stated that protection from torture was a non-derogable right, Ms. Connor said, and hoped that this would develop a deeper understanding of what was a key provision of the Convention.
The Office of the High Commissioner was also pleased to see a “developing flexibility” on part of the Committee to particular situations of urgency. This was an innovation which the Office hoped would develop into a more formal procedure. Ms. Connors also underscored the work of the Committee in the area of the individual complaint process and its follow-up to concluding observations which had been gaining pace, she said.
In closing, Ms. Connor welcomed the decision of the Committee to dedicate time in plenary to meetings with international and national non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and funds while adding that the contribution of these entities to the work of the Committee could not be underestimated.
* *** *
15 November 2004
Hears Address by Representative of Office of High Commissioner
for Human Rights; Adopts Agenda and Programme of Work
The Committee against Torture this morning opened its thirty-third session by hearing an address by a representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and adopting its agenda and programme of work.
Jane Connors, Team Leader in the Treaties and Follow-up Unit of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that High Commissioner Louise Arbour had repeatedly underlined the crucial importance of upholding the rule of law and international human rights standards and the role of the treaty bodies in this respect.
Ms. Connors drew attention to the continued efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner to implement the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, outlined in his 2002 report “Strengthening the United Nations: an agenda for further change”, and mentioned that related ongoing activities, under the so-called “Action 2 Programme”, were officially launched by the High Commissioner at a ceremony in New York on 27 October.
Among other things, Ms. Connors said the Office of the High Commissioner was encouraged by the work of the Committee on the drafting of a second General Comment on article two of the Convention, which stated that protection from torture was a non-derogable right, and by its decision to dedicate time in plenary to meetings with international and national non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and funds.
The Committee also adopted its agenda and programme of work and discussed organizational and other matters, after hearing the views of Committee Experts on various aspects of the lists of issues on country reports scheduled to be considered during the current session.
During its two-week session, the Committee will review measures undertaken by Argentina, the United Kingdom and Greece to prevent and punish acts of torture. These countries are among the 138 States parties to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Also, the Committee’s 10 Independent Experts will review, in closed session, information appearing to contain well-founded indications that torture is systematically being practiced in some States parties; and complaints from individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by a State party of the provisions of the Convention.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 16 November to take up the fourth periodic report of Argentina (document CAT/C/55/Add.7).
Statement by Representative of Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights
JANE CONNORS, Team Leader in the Treaties and Follow-up Unit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that High Commissioner Louise Arbour had repeatedly underlined the crucial importance of upholding the rule of law and international human rights standards and the role of the treaty bodies in this respect. The High Commissioner was aware of the important role of the treaty bodies and was strongly committed to ensuring that the work of the Committee received all the necessary support from her Office.
Ms. Connors recalled that at her address to the Biennial Conference of the International Commission of Jurists “Security under the Rule of Law”, held in Berlin in August of this year, the High Commissioner had reiterated the statement of the Committee made in November 2001 that reminded States parties to the Convention against Torture of the non-derogable nature of many of the obligations undertaken by them in ratifying the Convention.
Ms. Connors drew attention to the continued efforts of the Office of the High Commissioner to implement the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, outlined in his 2002 report “Strengthening the United Nations: an agenda for further change”. She said the Third Inter-Committee Meeting, held in June this year, had examined draft guidelines on an expanded core document and treaty-specific targeted reports. In this connection, she reminded Committee Experts that Kamel Filali, member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, who was serving as Rapporteur on this matter, would be meeting with the Committee on 19 November. Ms. Connors also mentioned the decision taken allowing any State party wishing to prepare reports using the draft guidelines to do so, while adding that the Government of Timor Leste had expressed at the sixtieth session of the Commission on Human Rights its wish to submit its reports now due to all seven treaty bodies through a consolidated system. In this regard, she recalled that the sixteenth Chairpersons Meeting and the third Inter-Committee Meeting also made recommendations related to the harmonization of working methods so as to produce a consistent approach, including on lists of issues and questions, follow-up procedures and interaction with United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations, and national human rights institutions.
Ms. Connors underlined that ongoing activities concerning the Secretary-General’s agenda for reform, under the so-called “Action 2 Programme”, were officially launched by the High Commissioner at a ceremony in New York on 27 October, and aimed to enhance inter-agency collaboration in promoting human rights at the country level. The Office of the High Commissioner was actively involved in these activities and had prepared guidance notes for United Nations Country Teams in how they could engage in the work of the human rights treaty bodies.
Ms. Connors also indicated that the Secretariat of the Secretary-General’s Study on violence against children was now involved in preparing the regional Study’s consultations that would take place during 2005. Organizing steering committees had started to work in Cairo, Bangkok, Dakar and Buenos Aires; and one such meeting took place in Geneva in September for the Central and Eastern European States, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic region.
The Office of the High Commissioner was encouraged by the work of the Committee on the drafting of a second General Comment on article two of the Convention, which stated that protection from torture was a non-derogable right, Ms. Connor said, and hoped that this would develop a deeper understanding of what was a key provision of the Convention.
The Office of the High Commissioner was also pleased to see a “developing flexibility” on part of the Committee to particular situations of urgency. This was an innovation which the Office hoped would develop into a more formal procedure. Ms. Connors also underscored the work of the Committee in the area of the individual complaint process and its follow-up to concluding observations which had been gaining pace, she said.
In closing, Ms. Connor welcomed the decision of the Committee to dedicate time in plenary to meetings with international and national non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and funds while adding that the contribution of these entities to the work of the Committee could not be underestimated.
* *** *
VIEW THIS PAGE IN: