COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS HEARS ORGANIZATIONS ON COUNTRY SITUATIONS

CESCR
29th session
11 November 2002
Afternoon



The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights heard a series of statements this afternoon from representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on situations in Poland, Georgia, Slovakia and the Solomon Islands -- countries whose reports are scheduled to be considered by the Committee during a three-week session begun this morning.
Two NGOs expressed concern about the situation of the Roma, citing a lack of access to adequate housing and drinking water. Two others drew attention to the situation of women, citing among other things domestic violence and trafficking in women.
The Committee is scheduled to consider the initial report of the Slovak Republic on 12 and 13 November; the fourth periodic report of Poland on 13 and 14 November; the second periodic report of Georgia on 14 and 15 November; and the initial report of the Solomon Islands on 18 and 19 November. (For further information, please see background press release HR/ESC/02/21 of 7 November 2002.) These countries are among 145 States parties to International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and are required to provide the Committee with periodic summations of their efforts to implement the treaty.
The following non-governmental organizations contributed statements: The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT); the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre in Georgia; Association for Employment of Women of Georgia; and Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE).
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 12 November, it is scheduled to take up the initial report of the Slovak Republic (document E/1990/5/Add.49).

Statements
With Respect to Poland
NATHALIE MIVELAZ, of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), said the OMCT had already presented a report on violence against Polish women. Although Poland had taken some initiatives, one out of six Polish women was a victim of domestic violence. Women also were not enjoying their rights to social security and to work in accordance with the provisions of the Covenant. Women in Poland continued to be victims of discrimination in employment and depended on their husbands for their survival. Poland should punish the perpetrators of such discriminatory practices and combat domestic violence. The speaker drew the Committee's attention as well to the trafficking of Polish women to other European countries.

With Respect to Georgia
NATALIE MIVELAZ, of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), said Georgia was in the process of making economic, social and cultural rights justiciable. However, there was concern about inadequate housing for the population, and poverty was prevalent in all areas. The Government was putting in place a poverty eradication strategy paper in addition to its programme of privatization. The Committee should request the State party to ensure that the process of privatization did not negatively affect the population's economic, social and economic rights.
NINO GVEDASHVILI, of the Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre in Georgia, said 60 per cent of the Georgian population was living below the poverty line. The health system had failed to meet international standards. Investment in housing had declined, which had resulted in many people living substandard and even dilapidated dwellings. Many recreation and cultural centres lacked heating systems; although they needed repair, their condition instead had been allowed to worsen. Many Georgian were leaving the country to escape poverty and in search of employment. The number of internally displaced persons had now reached to 270,000.
NINO SHIOSHVILI, of the Association for Employment of Women, said her Association had produced a report on Georgian women as part of an alternative report to the official Government report on women's rights. A foreign organization had been involved in the preparation of the report. Many self-employed women received less income than those employed in other sectors. Many women were excluded entirely from employment. The burden on women had been increasing, especially for those who pregnant or occupied with child-rearing. Women received lower wages than men for equal work. Generally, there was a widespread discrimination in employment and in wages against women. The State policy n establishing equality between men and women was not being fully implemented.

With Respect to Slovakia
BIRTE SCHOLZ, of the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), said she had received information on the situation of Roma people in Slovakia and the measures taken by the Government. Authority for dealing with issues involving the Roma had been transferred to the Ministry of Culture from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, a situation which might not fully ensure respect for the rights of the Roma.

General Statement
MALCOLM LANGFORD, of the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) said his group was deeply concerned by the continuing inability of Roma communities to gain access to water. That was particularly true for Roma in separated and segregated settlements. The World Bank had found that 53 per cent of Roma settlements surveyed had no access to running water. The European Roma Rights Centre had reported that the majority of Roma families in Poland lived under conditions where they were segregated from the rest of the population, with inadequate housing and a lack of clean drinking water. In addition, in the Solomon Islands, a substantial part of the population lacked access to drinking water. Water supplies in the country were unreliable and sewage runoff threatened the quality of the fresh water that was available.



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