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26 November 1999
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MORNING
HR/ESC/99/45
26 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCLUDES
REVIEW OF MEXICO'S THIRD PERIODIC REPORT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning concluded its consideration of a third periodic report of Mexico on how that country was complying with the terms of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The Committee will issue its formal, written concluding observations on the third periodic report of Mexico towards the end of its three-week session, which concludes on 3 December.
In the course of the discussion of the report, Committee members raised additional questions on issues pertaining to a serious housing crisis and increase in the cost of rent; the situation regarding forced eviction; the approach to the problems of poor people in cities; the fate of abandoned and street children; the situation of HIV/AIDS disease; and the extent of air pollution.
Mexico, as one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant, must submit periodic reports to the Committee on how it is implementing the provisions of the treaty. The country's third periodic report was presented yesterday morning.
The 11-member Mexican delegation was led by Miguel Angel Gonzalez Felix, Chief Legal Advisor at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, and included representatives from departments and sections of the Secretariats of Health, Foreign Affairs, Public Education, Labour and Social Prevention, and Social Development.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will meet in private to have a preliminary discussion on draft concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Mexico. On Monday, 29 November, the Committee will hold a day-long debate on the right to education.
Discussion
Committee members raised additional questions on issues pertaining to the serious housing crisis and the increase in cost of rent; the situation regarding forced evictions; the approach to the problems of poor people in cities; the fate of abandoned and street children; the situation concerning HIV/AIDS; and the extent of air pollution. An expert said that the number of street children in cities was estimated by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to more than 20,000.
In response to queries put this morning and yesterday afternoon by Committee experts, the Mexican officials said that since 1998, studies had been carried out concerning ozone and suspended particles in connection to air pollution. The study, which also included the sampling of 7,500 persons, had so far shown that people were complaining of eye irritation, coughing and head-ache. About 2,000 children were also examined on the long-term effects of pollution. Air pollution caused by vehicles in the metropolitan areas had resulted in 20 per cent less oxygen. In order to fight air pollution, pilot hospitals had been created to study the effect and to treat those affected by the polluted air. In addition, certain vehicles were restricted from circulating on given days.
A national programme on prevention and care for the victims of the social consequences of AIDS diseases had been put in place by the Government, the delegation said. Workshops had been organized for staff members who deal with victims of AIDS as well as for the victims themselves on how they treat themselves. About 90 per cent of HIV/AIDS infected persons were treated as out patients. The number of persons suffering from the disease was estimated to be 150,000, which included homosexuals and heterosexuals; and the ratio was 6:1 for men and women. However, homosexual were considered to be a high-risk group in respect of this contagious disease.
Identification of financial resources was the first step taken by the Mexican Government, to combat poverty in cities the officials said. There had been a number of projects being implemented in that regard with their own adequate budget which enabled them to achieve their goals. In addition, many people had been assisted by the nation-wide programme of the National Programme on Education, Health and Food (PROGRESA). Access to hospitals for primary health care was free.
Mexico had laws which established the freedom of citizens to join groups in defence of their labour rights, the delegation said. There was no national confederation that acted as an umbrella organization for indigenous workers as such with the specific intention of defending and protecting their trade union rights.
Concerning social security rights, the delegation said that under the compulsory system, men and women had guaranteed rights to industrial accident insurance, sickness and maternity benefits, incapacity and death benefits, retirement and unemployment, among other things. Under the voluntary system, they had health insurance for the family and other additional insurances. Those insurances were also guaranteed for public workers. With regard to maternity insurance, women were assured of obstetric care during pregnancy and childbirth.
The measures laid down in the World Summit on the Rights of the Child had been incorporated in the national programme for children (1995-2000) through a series of programmes for children in especially difficult circumstances, the delegation said. Abandoned children were provided shelter and medical care, and adoptions had been arranged for minors legally able to be adopted. In the course of 1998, there were 760 national and inter-country adoptions.
The increase in the number of girls and boys in and on the street was worsening the exploitation of child labour and abuse, the delegation said. Nevertheless, the Government had stepped up its efforts to deal with that situation. A programme for children in especially difficult circumstances had been merged in the programme for the care of children at risk. The activities of the programme for the care of street children were extended from 212 municipalities in 1997 to 604 in 1998.
Answering a question on prostitution, the delegation said that it was not regulated in Mexico, although the penal code and the civil code did make the sale of sexual services by third parties illegal.
HR/ESC/99/45
26 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCLUDES
REVIEW OF MEXICO'S THIRD PERIODIC REPORT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning concluded its consideration of a third periodic report of Mexico on how that country was complying with the terms of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The Committee will issue its formal, written concluding observations on the third periodic report of Mexico towards the end of its three-week session, which concludes on 3 December.
In the course of the discussion of the report, Committee members raised additional questions on issues pertaining to a serious housing crisis and increase in the cost of rent; the situation regarding forced eviction; the approach to the problems of poor people in cities; the fate of abandoned and street children; the situation of HIV/AIDS disease; and the extent of air pollution.
Mexico, as one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant, must submit periodic reports to the Committee on how it is implementing the provisions of the treaty. The country's third periodic report was presented yesterday morning.
The 11-member Mexican delegation was led by Miguel Angel Gonzalez Felix, Chief Legal Advisor at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, and included representatives from departments and sections of the Secretariats of Health, Foreign Affairs, Public Education, Labour and Social Prevention, and Social Development.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will meet in private to have a preliminary discussion on draft concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Mexico. On Monday, 29 November, the Committee will hold a day-long debate on the right to education.
Discussion
Committee members raised additional questions on issues pertaining to the serious housing crisis and the increase in cost of rent; the situation regarding forced evictions; the approach to the problems of poor people in cities; the fate of abandoned and street children; the situation concerning HIV/AIDS; and the extent of air pollution. An expert said that the number of street children in cities was estimated by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to more than 20,000.
In response to queries put this morning and yesterday afternoon by Committee experts, the Mexican officials said that since 1998, studies had been carried out concerning ozone and suspended particles in connection to air pollution. The study, which also included the sampling of 7,500 persons, had so far shown that people were complaining of eye irritation, coughing and head-ache. About 2,000 children were also examined on the long-term effects of pollution. Air pollution caused by vehicles in the metropolitan areas had resulted in 20 per cent less oxygen. In order to fight air pollution, pilot hospitals had been created to study the effect and to treat those affected by the polluted air. In addition, certain vehicles were restricted from circulating on given days.
A national programme on prevention and care for the victims of the social consequences of AIDS diseases had been put in place by the Government, the delegation said. Workshops had been organized for staff members who deal with victims of AIDS as well as for the victims themselves on how they treat themselves. About 90 per cent of HIV/AIDS infected persons were treated as out patients. The number of persons suffering from the disease was estimated to be 150,000, which included homosexuals and heterosexuals; and the ratio was 6:1 for men and women. However, homosexual were considered to be a high-risk group in respect of this contagious disease.
Identification of financial resources was the first step taken by the Mexican Government, to combat poverty in cities the officials said. There had been a number of projects being implemented in that regard with their own adequate budget which enabled them to achieve their goals. In addition, many people had been assisted by the nation-wide programme of the National Programme on Education, Health and Food (PROGRESA). Access to hospitals for primary health care was free.
Mexico had laws which established the freedom of citizens to join groups in defence of their labour rights, the delegation said. There was no national confederation that acted as an umbrella organization for indigenous workers as such with the specific intention of defending and protecting their trade union rights.
Concerning social security rights, the delegation said that under the compulsory system, men and women had guaranteed rights to industrial accident insurance, sickness and maternity benefits, incapacity and death benefits, retirement and unemployment, among other things. Under the voluntary system, they had health insurance for the family and other additional insurances. Those insurances were also guaranteed for public workers. With regard to maternity insurance, women were assured of obstetric care during pregnancy and childbirth.
The measures laid down in the World Summit on the Rights of the Child had been incorporated in the national programme for children (1995-2000) through a series of programmes for children in especially difficult circumstances, the delegation said. Abandoned children were provided shelter and medical care, and adoptions had been arranged for minors legally able to be adopted. In the course of 1998, there were 760 national and inter-country adoptions.
The increase in the number of girls and boys in and on the street was worsening the exploitation of child labour and abuse, the delegation said. Nevertheless, the Government had stepped up its efforts to deal with that situation. A programme for children in especially difficult circumstances had been merged in the programme for the care of children at risk. The activities of the programme for the care of street children were extended from 212 municipalities in 1997 to 604 in 1998.
Answering a question on prostitution, the delegation said that it was not regulated in Mexico, although the penal code and the civil code did make the sale of sexual services by third parties illegal.