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COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO HOLD FORTY-SECOND SESSION FROM 4 to 22 MAY 2009 IN GENEVA
30 April 2009
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Committee on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights
30 April 2009
BACKGROUND RELEASE
Experts to Review Reports of Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Cambodia and United Kingdom
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 4 to 22 May 2009 to examine measures taken by Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Cambodia and the United Kingdom to comply with the standards of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The five countries are among the 160 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 adhering 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 will be opened by the representative of the Secretary-General who will preside over the meeting until the election of the Chairperson of the Committee. The Committee will also elect three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur for two years. It will then
adopt its agenda and programme of work before discussing its organization of work and substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant.
In the afternoon, the Committee will discuss relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies, and will also hear information from non-governmental organizations with respect to the reports that it will review during the current session.
During the session, the Committee will review the status of development of draft general comments on the right to take part in cultural life (art.15 (1) (a) of the Covenant, and on the principle of non-discrimination (art.2 (2).
Cambodia is presenting its initial report. Australia is presenting its fourth periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was reviewed in September 2000, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.50. Brazil is presenting its second periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the initial report, which was considered in May 2003, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.87). Cyprus is presenting its fourth and fifth periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was reviewed in December 1998, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.28. The United Kingdom is presenting its fourth and fifth periodic reports, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was considered in May 2002, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.79.
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.
With regard to individual complaints, on 10 December 2008, the General Assembly unanimously adopted an Optional Protocol (GA resolution A/RES/63/117) to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which provides the Committee competence to receive and consider communications. The General Assembly took note of the adoption by the Human Rights Council by its resolution 8/2 of 18 June 2008, of the Optional Protocol. The Optional Protocol will be opened for signature at a signing ceremony in September 2009.
States Parties to the Covenant
The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 160 States: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, 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, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, 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 Committee is composed of the following 18 Experts: Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Maria Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal), Chandrashekhar Dasgupta (India), Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria), Yuri Kolosov (Russian Federation), Zdislaw Kedzia (Poland), Jaime Marchan Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Nikolaas Jan Schrijver (Netherlands), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Daode Zhan (China), Philippe Texier (France), and Alvaro Tirado Mejia (Colombia).
Provisional Timetable for Consideration of Reports
The main documents before the Committee in respect of these countries is accessible from the OHCHR website ( http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/cescrs42.htm), including the reports submitted by the States parties, lists of questions posed by the Committee in respect of those reports, previous concluding observations issued by the Committee on State reports, and supplementary information submitted by non-governmental organizations At the end of the session, the concluding observations of the Committee on each State party will also be accessible in advanced unedited form from this site
Tuesday, 5 May
Morning: Australia, fourth periodic report (E/C.12/AUS/4)
Afternoon: Australia (continued)
Wednesday, 6 May
Morning: Australia (continued)
Afternoon: Brazil, second periodic report (E/C.12/BRA/2)
Thursday, 7 May
Morning: Brazil (continued)
Afternoon: Brazil (continued)
Friday, 8 May
Morning: Cyprus fourth and fifth periodic reports (E/C.12/CYP/5)
Afternoon: Cyprus (continued)
Monday, 11 May
Morning: Cambodia initial report (E/C.12/KHM/1)
Afternoon: Cambodia (continued)
Tuesday, 12 May
Morning: Cambodia (continued)
Afternoon: United Kingdom (fourth and fifth periodic reports E/C.12/GBR/5)
Wednesday, 13 May
Morning: United Kingdom (continued)
Afternoon: United Kingdom (continued)
Friday, 22 May
Afternoon: Release of concluding observations and close of session
_________
For use of the information media; not an official record
and Cultural Rights
30 April 2009
BACKGROUND RELEASE
Experts to Review Reports of Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Cambodia and United Kingdom
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 4 to 22 May 2009 to examine measures taken by Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Cambodia and the United Kingdom to comply with the standards of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The five countries are among the 160 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 adhering 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 will be opened by the representative of the Secretary-General who will preside over the meeting until the election of the Chairperson of the Committee. The Committee will also elect three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur for two years. It will then
adopt its agenda and programme of work before discussing its organization of work and substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant.
In the afternoon, the Committee will discuss relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies, and will also hear information from non-governmental organizations with respect to the reports that it will review during the current session.
During the session, the Committee will review the status of development of draft general comments on the right to take part in cultural life (art.15 (1) (a) of the Covenant, and on the principle of non-discrimination (art.2 (2).
Cambodia is presenting its initial report. Australia is presenting its fourth periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was reviewed in September 2000, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.50. Brazil is presenting its second periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the initial report, which was considered in May 2003, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.87). Cyprus is presenting its fourth and fifth periodic report, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was reviewed in December 1998, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.28. The United Kingdom is presenting its fourth and fifth periodic reports, and the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on the third periodic report, which was considered in May 2002, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.79.
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.
With regard to individual complaints, on 10 December 2008, the General Assembly unanimously adopted an Optional Protocol (GA resolution A/RES/63/117) to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which provides the Committee competence to receive and consider communications. The General Assembly took note of the adoption by the Human Rights Council by its resolution 8/2 of 18 June 2008, of the Optional Protocol. The Optional Protocol will be opened for signature at a signing ceremony in September 2009.
States Parties to the Covenant
The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 160 States: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, 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, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, 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 Committee is composed of the following 18 Experts: Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Maria Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal), Chandrashekhar Dasgupta (India), Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria), Yuri Kolosov (Russian Federation), Zdislaw Kedzia (Poland), Jaime Marchan Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Nikolaas Jan Schrijver (Netherlands), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Daode Zhan (China), Philippe Texier (France), and Alvaro Tirado Mejia (Colombia).
Provisional Timetable for Consideration of Reports
The main documents before the Committee in respect of these countries is accessible from the OHCHR website ( http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/cescrs42.htm), including the reports submitted by the States parties, lists of questions posed by the Committee in respect of those reports, previous concluding observations issued by the Committee on State reports, and supplementary information submitted by non-governmental organizations At the end of the session, the concluding observations of the Committee on each State party will also be accessible in advanced unedited form from this site
Tuesday, 5 May
Morning: Australia, fourth periodic report (E/C.12/AUS/4)
Afternoon: Australia (continued)
Wednesday, 6 May
Morning: Australia (continued)
Afternoon: Brazil, second periodic report (E/C.12/BRA/2)
Thursday, 7 May
Morning: Brazil (continued)
Afternoon: Brazil (continued)
Friday, 8 May
Morning: Cyprus fourth and fifth periodic reports (E/C.12/CYP/5)
Afternoon: Cyprus (continued)
Monday, 11 May
Morning: Cambodia initial report (E/C.12/KHM/1)
Afternoon: Cambodia (continued)
Tuesday, 12 May
Morning: Cambodia (continued)
Afternoon: United Kingdom (fourth and fifth periodic reports E/C.12/GBR/5)
Wednesday, 13 May
Morning: United Kingdom (continued)
Afternoon: United Kingdom (continued)
Friday, 22 May
Afternoon: Release of concluding observations and close of session
_________
For use of the information media; not an official record
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