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COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION MEETS IN GENEVA FROM 20 FEBRUARY TO 10 MARCH 2006
17 February 2006
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Committee on the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination 17 February 2006
Committee to Consider Reports of Mexico, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Guatemala, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Guyana and Botswana.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will hold its sixty-eighth session at the Palais Wilson (ground floor meeting room) in Geneva from 20 February to 10 March 2006 to review anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by the Governments of Mexico, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Guyana and Botswana.
These countries are among the 170 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The 18-member Committee, the first body created by the United Nations to review actions by States to fulfil obligations under a specific human-rights agreement, examines reports submitted periodically by States parties on efforts to comply with the Convention. Government representatives generally present the report, discuss its contents with Committee members, and answer questions.
At this session, the Experts will also look at the implementation of the Convention in Antigua and Barbuda, Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Papua New Guinea under its review procedure. These States parties are at least five years late for the submission of their initial or periodic reports to the Committee.
The eleventh periodic report of Mexico was taken up on 17 and 18 March 1997, and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.30; the initial report of Lithuania was taken up on 5 and 6 March 2002, and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/8; the seventh periodic report of Guatemala was taken up on 5 and 6 March 1997 and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.21; the third to eighth periodic reports of El Salvador were taken up on 22 September 1995, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document A/50/18,paras.460-498 ; the initial and second reports of Uzbekistan were taken up on 18 August 2000, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document CERD/C/57/CRP.3/Add.11; and the sixth to fourteenth periodic reports of Botswana were taken up on 19 and 20 August 2002, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document CERD/C/61/CO/2.
During the course of the three-week session, the Committee will also be briefed on follow-up activities to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
In addition, the Committee will study, in closed session, communications from individuals claiming to be victims of racial discrimination. Only complaints against the 46 States parties that have recognized the competence of the Committee under article 14 of the Convention are admissible.
The Committee will also swear in nine members of the Committee that have been elected or re-elected, and will elect a Chairperson, three Vice-Chairpersons, and a Rapporteur, who will serve for a period of two years.
States Parties to Convention
At present, the following 170 States are parties to the Convention: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgystan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, San Marino, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Communications under Article 14
Under article 14 of the Convention, the Committee considers communications from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by States parties of any of the rights set forth in the Convention, provided the States concerned have recognized the competence of the Committee in this regard. The following 46 States parties have already done so: Algeria, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Committee Membership and Officers
The members of the Committee, elected in their individual capacity, are: Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr (Egypt); Nourredine Amir (Algeria); Alexei Avtonomov (Russian Federation); Ralph Boyd (United States); Jose Francisco Cali Tzay (Guatemala); Fatima-Binta Victoire Dah (Burkina Faso); Kakou Mawuena Ika Kana (Dieudonne) Ewomsan (Togo); Régis de Gouttes (France); Patricia Nozipho January-Bardill (South Africa); Morten Kjaerum (Denmark); José Augusto Lindgren Alves (Brazil); Raghavan Vasudevan Pillai (India); Agha Shahi (Pakistan); Linos Alexander Sicilianos (Greece); Tang Chengyuan (China); Patrick Thornberry (United Kingdom); Luis Valencia Rodriguez (Ecuador); and Mario Jorge Yutzis (Argentina).
Timetable for Consideration of Reports, Comments and Further Information Submitted by States Parties
Monday 20 February
p.m.
Mexico
Twelfth to fifteenth periodic reports due from
1998 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/473/Add.1)
Tuesday 21 February
a.m.
Mexico
(continued)
p.m.
Lithuania
Second and third periodic reports due from
2001 to 2003, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/461/Add.2)
Wednesday 22 February
a.m.
Lithuania
(continued)
p.m.
Bosnia and
Initial to sixth periodic reports due from
Herzegovina
1994 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/464/Add.1)
Thursday 23 February
a.m.
Bosnia and
(continued)
Herzegovina
Friday 24 February
p.m.
Guatemala
Eighth to eleventh periodic reports due from
From 1998 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/469/Add.1)
Monday 27 February
a.m.
Guatemala
(continued)
p.m.
El Salvador
Ninth to thirteenth periodic reports due from
1996 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/471/Add.1)
Tuesday 28 February
a.m.
El Salvador
(continued)
p.m.
Uzbekistan
Third to fifth periodic reports due
from 2000 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/463/Add.2)
Wednesday 1 March
a.m.
Uzbekistan
(continued)
Thursday 2 March
p.m.
Guyana
Initial to fourteenth periodic reports due
From 1978 to 2004, submitted in one report
CERD/C/472/Add.1)
Friday 3 March
a.m.
Guyana
(continued)
p.m.
Botswana
Fifteenth and sixteenth periodic reports due
from 2003 to 2005, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/495/Add.1)
Monday 6 March
a.m.
Botswana
(continued)
Tuesday 7 March
a.m.
Antigua and Barbudaa
Congoa
Ethiopiaa
p.m.
Mozambiquea
Nicaraguaa
Papua New Guineaa
Early warning and urgent action procedures
Note
a Review procedure (for States parties whose reports are seriously overdue).
* *** *
of Racial Discrimination 17 February 2006
Committee to Consider Reports of Mexico, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Guatemala, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Guyana and Botswana.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will hold its sixty-eighth session at the Palais Wilson (ground floor meeting room) in Geneva from 20 February to 10 March 2006 to review anti-discrimination efforts undertaken by the Governments of Mexico, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Uzbekistan, Guyana and Botswana.
These countries are among the 170 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. The 18-member Committee, the first body created by the United Nations to review actions by States to fulfil obligations under a specific human-rights agreement, examines reports submitted periodically by States parties on efforts to comply with the Convention. Government representatives generally present the report, discuss its contents with Committee members, and answer questions.
At this session, the Experts will also look at the implementation of the Convention in Antigua and Barbuda, Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Papua New Guinea under its review procedure. These States parties are at least five years late for the submission of their initial or periodic reports to the Committee.
The eleventh periodic report of Mexico was taken up on 17 and 18 March 1997, and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.30; the initial report of Lithuania was taken up on 5 and 6 March 2002, and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/60/CO/8; the seventh periodic report of Guatemala was taken up on 5 and 6 March 1997 and the Committee’s final conclusions on it can be found in document CERD/C/304/Add.21; the third to eighth periodic reports of El Salvador were taken up on 22 September 1995, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document A/50/18,paras.460-498 ; the initial and second reports of Uzbekistan were taken up on 18 August 2000, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document CERD/C/57/CRP.3/Add.11; and the sixth to fourteenth periodic reports of Botswana were taken up on 19 and 20 August 2002, and the Committee’s final conclusions on them can be found in document CERD/C/61/CO/2.
During the course of the three-week session, the Committee will also be briefed on follow-up activities to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.
In addition, the Committee will study, in closed session, communications from individuals claiming to be victims of racial discrimination. Only complaints against the 46 States parties that have recognized the competence of the Committee under article 14 of the Convention are admissible.
The Committee will also swear in nine members of the Committee that have been elected or re-elected, and will elect a Chairperson, three Vice-Chairpersons, and a Rapporteur, who will serve for a period of two years.
States Parties to Convention
At present, the following 170 States are parties to the Convention: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgystan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, San Marino, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Communications under Article 14
Under article 14 of the Convention, the Committee considers communications from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of a violation by States parties of any of the rights set forth in the Convention, provided the States concerned have recognized the competence of the Committee in this regard. The following 46 States parties have already done so: Algeria, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Committee Membership and Officers
The members of the Committee, elected in their individual capacity, are: Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr (Egypt); Nourredine Amir (Algeria); Alexei Avtonomov (Russian Federation); Ralph Boyd (United States); Jose Francisco Cali Tzay (Guatemala); Fatima-Binta Victoire Dah (Burkina Faso); Kakou Mawuena Ika Kana (Dieudonne) Ewomsan (Togo); Régis de Gouttes (France); Patricia Nozipho January-Bardill (South Africa); Morten Kjaerum (Denmark); José Augusto Lindgren Alves (Brazil); Raghavan Vasudevan Pillai (India); Agha Shahi (Pakistan); Linos Alexander Sicilianos (Greece); Tang Chengyuan (China); Patrick Thornberry (United Kingdom); Luis Valencia Rodriguez (Ecuador); and Mario Jorge Yutzis (Argentina).
Timetable for Consideration of Reports, Comments and Further Information Submitted by States Parties
Monday 20 February
p.m.
Mexico
Twelfth to fifteenth periodic reports due from
1998 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/473/Add.1)
Tuesday 21 February
a.m.
Mexico
(continued)
p.m.
Lithuania
Second and third periodic reports due from
2001 to 2003, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/461/Add.2)
Wednesday 22 February
a.m.
Lithuania
(continued)
p.m.
Bosnia and
Initial to sixth periodic reports due from
Herzegovina
1994 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/464/Add.1)
Thursday 23 February
a.m.
Bosnia and
(continued)
Herzegovina
Friday 24 February
p.m.
Guatemala
Eighth to eleventh periodic reports due from
From 1998 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/469/Add.1)
Monday 27 February
a.m.
Guatemala
(continued)
p.m.
El Salvador
Ninth to thirteenth periodic reports due from
1996 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/471/Add.1)
Tuesday 28 February
a.m.
El Salvador
(continued)
p.m.
Uzbekistan
Third to fifth periodic reports due
from 2000 to 2004, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/463/Add.2)
Wednesday 1 March
a.m.
Uzbekistan
(continued)
Thursday 2 March
p.m.
Guyana
Initial to fourteenth periodic reports due
From 1978 to 2004, submitted in one report
CERD/C/472/Add.1)
Friday 3 March
a.m.
Guyana
(continued)
p.m.
Botswana
Fifteenth and sixteenth periodic reports due
from 2003 to 2005, submitted in one report
(CERD/C/495/Add.1)
Monday 6 March
a.m.
Botswana
(continued)
Tuesday 7 March
a.m.
Antigua and Barbudaa
Congoa
Ethiopiaa
p.m.
Mozambiquea
Nicaraguaa
Papua New Guineaa
Early warning and urgent action procedures
Note
a Review procedure (for States parties whose reports are seriously overdue).
* *** *