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COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS TO MEET FROM 7 NOVEMBER TO 25 NOVEMBER 2005
03 November 2005
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Committee on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights
3 November 2005
BACKGROUND RELEASE
Reports of Slovenia, Austria, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and Libya to be considered
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will hold its thirty-fifth session at the Palais Wilson (ground floor conference room) in Geneva from 7 to 25 November 2005 to examine measures taken by Slovenia, Austria, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Libya to comply with the standards of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The countries are among the 151 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 will adopt its agenda and programme of work before discussing follow-up to the Committee’s consideration of State parties’ reports, relations with other United Nations organs and other treaty bodies, and the submission of reports by States parties. In the afternoon, the Committee will hear information from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with respect to the reports which it will review during the current session.
The Committee will also consider and debate on 21 November the adoption of a General Comment on article 15.1 "c" of the Covenant (the right to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author).
Slovenia, Uzbekistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are presenting their initial reports. Austria is presenting its third periodic report and the Committee’s conclusions on the second periodic report, which was reviewed on 28 and 29 November 1994, can be found in document E/C.12/1994/16. Libya is presenting its second periodic report, and the Committee’s conclusions on the initial report, which was reviewed on 13 May 1997, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.15.
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 the Covenant
The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 151 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, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 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, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, 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, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, 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 Experts: Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Maria Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal), Arandhati Ghose (India), Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria), Yuri Kolosov (the Russian Federation), Giorgio Malinverni (Switzerland), Jaime Marchán Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Andrzej Rzeplinski (Poland), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Philippe Texier (France), Alvaro Tirado Mejia (Colombia), and Shen Yongxiang (China).
Ms. Bonoan-Dandan is the Chairperson. The Vice Chairpersons are Mr. Barahona Riera, Mr. Kerdoun and Mr. Riedel. The Rapporteur is Mr. Kolosov.
Provisional Timetable for Consideration of Reports
Monday, 7 November
a.m. Session opens
p.m. Committee hears from non-governmental organizations on situation in countries
whose reports will be considered
Tuesday, 8 November
a.m. Initial report of Slovenia (E/1990/5/Add.62)
p.m. Slovenia (continued)
Wednesday, 9 November
a.m. Slovenia (continued)
p.m. Third periodic report of Austria (E/1994/104/Add.29)
Thursday, 10 November
a.m. Austria (continued)
p.m. Austria (continued)
Friday, 11 November
a.m. Initial report of Uzbekistan (E/1990/5/Add.63)
p.m. Uzbekistan (continued)
Monday, 14 November
a.m. Uzbekistan (continued)
p.m. Initial report of Bosnia and Herzegovina (E/1990/5/Add.65)
Tuesday, 15 November
a.m. Bosnia and Herzegovina (continued)
p.m. Bosnia and Herzegovina (continued)
Wednesday, 16 November
a.m. Second periodic report of Libya(E/1990/6/Add.38)
p.m. Libya (continued)
Thursday, 17 November
a.m. Libya (continued)
Monday, 21 November
Consideration of a General Comment on article 15.1 "c" of the Covenant (the right to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author).
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record
and Cultural Rights
3 November 2005
BACKGROUND RELEASE
Reports of Slovenia, Austria, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
and Libya to be considered
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will hold its thirty-fifth session at the Palais Wilson (ground floor conference room) in Geneva from 7 to 25 November 2005 to examine measures taken by Slovenia, Austria, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Libya to comply with the standards of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The countries are among the 151 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 will adopt its agenda and programme of work before discussing follow-up to the Committee’s consideration of State parties’ reports, relations with other United Nations organs and other treaty bodies, and the submission of reports by States parties. In the afternoon, the Committee will hear information from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with respect to the reports which it will review during the current session.
The Committee will also consider and debate on 21 November the adoption of a General Comment on article 15.1 "c" of the Covenant (the right to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author).
Slovenia, Uzbekistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are presenting their initial reports. Austria is presenting its third periodic report and the Committee’s conclusions on the second periodic report, which was reviewed on 28 and 29 November 1994, can be found in document E/C.12/1994/16. Libya is presenting its second periodic report, and the Committee’s conclusions on the initial report, which was reviewed on 13 May 1997, can be found in document E/C.12/1/Add.15.
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 the Covenant
The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 151 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, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 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, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, 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, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, 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 Experts: Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim (Egypt), Clement Atangana (Cameroon), Rocio Barahona Riera (Costa Rica), Virginia Bonoan-Dandan (Philippines), Maria Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal), Arandhati Ghose (India), Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria), Yuri Kolosov (the Russian Federation), Giorgio Malinverni (Switzerland), Jaime Marchán Romero (Ecuador), Sergei Martynov (Belarus), Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay (Mauritius), Eibe Riedel (Germany), Andrzej Rzeplinski (Poland), Walid M. Sa'di (Jordan), Philippe Texier (France), Alvaro Tirado Mejia (Colombia), and Shen Yongxiang (China).
Ms. Bonoan-Dandan is the Chairperson. The Vice Chairpersons are Mr. Barahona Riera, Mr. Kerdoun and Mr. Riedel. The Rapporteur is Mr. Kolosov.
Provisional Timetable for Consideration of Reports
Monday, 7 November
a.m. Session opens
p.m. Committee hears from non-governmental organizations on situation in countries
whose reports will be considered
Tuesday, 8 November
a.m. Initial report of Slovenia (E/1990/5/Add.62)
p.m. Slovenia (continued)
Wednesday, 9 November
a.m. Slovenia (continued)
p.m. Third periodic report of Austria (E/1994/104/Add.29)
Thursday, 10 November
a.m. Austria (continued)
p.m. Austria (continued)
Friday, 11 November
a.m. Initial report of Uzbekistan (E/1990/5/Add.63)
p.m. Uzbekistan (continued)
Monday, 14 November
a.m. Uzbekistan (continued)
p.m. Initial report of Bosnia and Herzegovina (E/1990/5/Add.65)
Tuesday, 15 November
a.m. Bosnia and Herzegovina (continued)
p.m. Bosnia and Herzegovina (continued)
Wednesday, 16 November
a.m. Second periodic report of Libya(E/1990/6/Add.38)
p.m. Libya (continued)
Thursday, 17 November
a.m. Libya (continued)
Monday, 21 November
Consideration of a General Comment on article 15.1 "c" of the Covenant (the right to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author).
* *** *
For use of the information media; not an official record
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