COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS OPENS TWENTY-EIGHTH SESSION

CESCR
28th session
29 April 2002
Morning



Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Addresses Committee



The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning started its spring session by hearing a statement by the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and adopting its agenda and programme of work.
Bertrand G. Ramcharan, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the Committee that the Commission on Human Rights, which had concluded its six-week session last Friday, had adopted a resolution in order to appoint a Special Rapporteur on health. In previous years, the Commission had appointed Special Rapporteurs on food and education.
Mr. Ramacharan also said that the Chairperson of the Commission had called for a process of reflection on how the Commission could further cooperate with treaty bodies. He had said that treaty bodies should work closer with the Commission. The Chairperson had also attached great importance to the process of exchange of experiences among States in order to identify good experiences or problems at the national or international levels, he added.
Statements were also made by the representatives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and UNAIDS.
Before adjourning its morning meeting, the Committee met in private to hear a briefing by the Secretariat.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will debate on substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant with the participation of non-governmental organizations.

Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
BERTRAND G. RAMCHARAN, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the Committee members that the Commission on Human Rights, which had concluded its six-week session last Friday, had adopted a resolution in order to appoint a Special Rapporteur on health. Already, Special Rapporteurs on food and education had been appointed by the Commission. This would strengthen the work of the Committee.
Mr. Ramacharan recalled that High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, in her closing statement at the Commission, had indicated her intention to develop the theme of an international bill of human rights. In addition, the Chairperson of the Commission had called for a process of reflection on how the Commission could further cooperate with treaty bodies. He had said that treaty bodies should work closer with the Commission. The Chairperson also attached great importance to the process of exchange of experiences among States in order to identify good experiences or problems at the national or international levels.
Mr. Ramcharan also said that the Secretary-General had embarked on his second phase of reform programme and had requested submissions on how to strengthen the UN system. On its part, the Office of the High Commissioner would be making submissions to strengthen the Office. In addition, the Office had signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the implementation of the work of the Office.
The input work was done by the Committee.

Statements
KISHORE SINGH, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), underlined that the great priority of activities carried out by UNESCO was basic education for all. In order to dynamize the process of education for all, UNESCO, in its role as coordinator, had invited partner organizations to concert at the national level to organize a series of activities on promotion and sensitization. In addition, UNESCO was in the process of elaborating a strategy in human rights to promote a right-based approach in education. That strategy would increase the priority provided to human rights. A right-based approach would advocate for the fight against poverty and would find its base in human rights. The strategy would help in mainstreaming human rights in the activities of the Organization, while attaching great importance to the implementation by States of their respective obligations.
ANA ANGARITA, of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that UNFPA was in the process of developing policy guidelines on rights-based programming and a rights-based approach to reproductive and sexual health. It was developing an institutional capacity to guide its field operations on how to bridge their work with that of the Committee. It was also in the process of developing policy guidelines for UNFPA to integrate culture into its programme areas; and it was working with new patterns to strengthen its mandate in reproductive health and rights. Next month, UNFPA was co-sponsoring, with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights, a regional meeting to be held in Costa Rica on "promoting and protecting women's reproductive rights through the work of national institutions".
MIRIAM MALUWA, of UNAIDS, said that the agency had adopted a complementary and reinforcing two prong approach of mainstreaming human rights into HIV/AIDS. There had been high level advocacy by heads of agencies, ministers and other dignitaries at various fora and that had supported mainstreaming HIV/AIDS-related human rights in key frameworks. The Committee had adopted General Recommendation 14 on the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which contained important guidance on the normative content of the right to health, including in the context of HIV/AIDS.
Ms. Maluwa said that two regional meetings were held in Africa and South East Asia focusing on the role of national human rights institutions in advancing HIV/AIDS-related work at national and regional levels. To that end, some national activities had commenced in Ghana, South Africa and India.



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