COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD OPENS THIRTY-SECOND SESSION

Hears Address by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights

The Committee on the Rights of the Child began this morning its three-week winter session by hearing an address of the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, adopting its agenda, and approving its programme of work.
Bertrand Ramcharan, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaking on behalf of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, briefed the Committee on developments that had taken place since the Committee's last session, noting among other things that during the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General had submitted his most recent proposals on reform of the United Nations, which contained a specific chapter on strengthening the human rights system. With regard to human rights treaty bodies, the Secretary-General had suggested streamlining reporting procedures and had called for consideration of the possibility of one national report on human rights to be submitted to all concerned treaty bodies.
The Secretary of the Committee, Paulo David, said that since the last meeting of the Committee, seven reports had been received from States parties. These included the first third periodic reports to be received by the Committee, from Sweden and Bolivia. So far in its history, the Committee had received 242 reports and had considered 191 of them.
During its three-week session, the Committee will review reports from Estonia, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Romania, the Solomon Islands, Viet Nam, the Czech Republic and Haiti. The Committee is composed of 10 independent Experts, although States parties have adopted an amendment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that will increase the membership to 18. The amendment entered into force on 18 November 2002, and the new members will be appointed following elections to be held on 10 February in New York.
After adjourning its brief public session this morning, the Committee continued its work in private session.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 14 January, it will take up an initial report of Estonia (CRC/C/8/Add.45).
Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
BERTRAND RAMCHARAN, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that during the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General had submitted his most recent proposals for reform of the United Nations, which contained a specific chapter on strengthening the human rights system. With regard to human rights treaty bodies, the Secretary-General had suggested streamlining reporting procedures, and had called for consideration of the possibility of one national report on human rights to be submitted to all concerned treaty bodies. A report of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services on a management review of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights had made similar recommendations.
Mr. Ramcharan said the Committee was expected to discuss at this session, and possibly adopt, three general comments: on HIV/AIDS, adolescent health and the minimum age for criminal responsibility. That thematic work was extremely important, as it would provide detailed guidance to States parties and others on implementation of the Convention and would enable the Committee's jurisprudence to be reinforced.
Turning to other developments, Mr. Ramcharan recalled that on 18 December 2002, the General Assembly had adopted an Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. That instrument would establish a preventive system of visits to places of detention in order to strengthen protections for persons deprived of their liberty - including children - and so better prevent torture and other inhuman treatment. Twenty ratifications or accessions were still required for the Optional Protocol to enter into force.
Mr. Ramacharan told the Committee that Sergio Paulo Pinheiro of Brazil recently had been informed that he would be nominated by the Secretary-General as Independent Expert for a UN study on violence against children. The study had been agreed to by the General Assembly following the outstanding work of the Committee on the issue of violence against children. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, together with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), had been active in preparing the ground for the study.
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