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25 November 1999
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AFTERNOON
HR/ESC/99/44
25 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONTINUES REVIEW OF MEXICAN REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL COVENANT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its consideration of the report of Mexico by querying a Government delegation on such issues as the practice of pregnancy test before employment, incidents against Mexican migrants at the border with the United States, and the situation in Chiapas, among other things.
In responding to questions raised by Committee experts, the Mexican officials said the Government of Mexico believed that the main problem of the Chiapas region was social inequalities, and because of that it had been implementing economic and social measures to improve the situation.
However, the rebels of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) had continued their armed struggle with funds obtained from outside the country which kept them alive, the delegation added.
An 11-member Mexican delegation, most of them coming from the capital city, was on hand to answer questions raised by Committee members on issues relating to economic, social, educational and cultural rights. The third periodic report of Mexico was presented this morning by the Government delegation.
Mexico is one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and as such it is obligated to present periodic reports to the Committee on how it is implementing the provisions of the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Friday, 26 November, it will continue its consideration of the report of Mexico.
Discussion
Committee members started their consideration of the report by querying the Mexican delegation on a series of issues. Among other things, they asked if the inhabitants of Chiapas had benefited from the measures taken by the Government to improve the economic and social situation; whether the financial assistance given by international organizations had helped the country to overcome its economic problems; if there was de facto discrimination against women; and about the progress made in respect to women's conditions.
An expert said that any armed conflict in any country could seriously impede the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. The expert wanted to know the genesis of the strife in Chiapas and in other similar situations; the measures taken by the Government to reduce disparities not only among the regions but also among the different groups of people; and about the causes which brought the banking crisis, which led to their bankruptcy.
In response to questions raised by Committee Experts in the morning and this afternoon, the members of the Mexican delegation said that following the 1990 national census, new diagnosis of the situation of extreme poverty had been carried out in 1995. The analysis of the situation had allowed the Government to take appropriate measures aimed at reducing extreme poverty.
Concerning the conflict in Chiapas, the delegation said the conflict started in the beginning of 1994 with an armed insurrection of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) in four municipalities. The rebels demanded the resignation of the President of the Republic and declared war on the Mexican army, threatening to march on the country's capital. Eleven days later, the Government indicated that it was only through negotiation that peace could be achieved. A committee for negotiation and peaceful dialogue had been established to facilitate dialogue between the rebels and the federal authorities.
The Government of Mexico believed that the main problem of Chiapas was social inequalities and that was why it had been implementing measures to improve the situation in the region, the delegation said. However, the Zapatistas had continued their armed struggle with funds obtained from outside the country which allowed them to continue their activities. The presence of the Mexican army in that region was to maintain order and to protect the population from the threat of the armed group.
Furthermore, the Government had been willing to implement the San Andrés Agreements on indigenous rights and culture, concluded by the EZLN and the Government, and which aimed at creating a new relationship between indigenous peoples, the communities, civil societies and the State, the delegation said. The Agreements recognized the right to self-determination and autonomy of indigenous peoples and communities and guaranteed a number of political, administrative, social, economic and cultural rights.
Turning to women's issues, the delegation said that women were not subjected to any legal limitation since the Constitution had given them the same rights and obligations as men. In addition, the National Human Rights Commission, which had a role of achieving equality of opportunity for men and women, had carried out an extensive study comparing the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Mexican legislation in order to detect shortcomings on gender equality.
Steps had also been taken by the Government to correct wage inequalities between men and women, the delegation said. However, investigations into the situation of working women tended to reveal the existence of a gender-related pay differential. Some of those investigations attributed the differential to the existence of wage discrimination, others associated it with the recruitment of women by certain industries and the segregation of occupations within those industries, the delegation added.
The assistance provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank was indispensable in improving the Mexican economy while it experienced difficulties, the delegation said. In addition, the assistance had given impetus to the Government's endeavours in redressing the economic situation. The economy was actually picking up and the situation was improving, the delegation added.
The bankruptcy that devastated Mexican banks was attributed to the 1995 high inflation rate of 50 per cent and the lack of liquidity in the country, the delegation said. Because of the high inflation, the country's currency was devaluated and payment to international creditors was suspended. Many banks lost their capacity to function normally and went bankrupt. In order to redress the situation, the Government implemented a "bank rescue package" and "bank salvage" measures, which had reversed the situation. At present, inflation stood at 12 per cent, the delegation added.
An Expert asked why women had to pass pregnancy tests to be employed in many Mexican enterprises and rejected if found positive. Another expert wanted to know about the problem of the "brain drain" with so many highly educated Mexicans moving to the United States. He also wanted to know were about the ill treatment of Mexican caught crossing the border with the United States. A question was also raised on the violent deaths of Mexicans in the United States, or while crossing borders. An expert said the Mexican authorities were not doing enough to protect their own citizens who were implicated in border crossing; and those who attempted to cross borders were brutalized in the hands of the United States and Mexican border guards.
A special committee was created by Mexico to monitor crimes committed around the border with the United States, the delegation said. The Government was more concerned by the crimes committed in the border areas rather than the border crossing problem. In addition, special programmes had been launched for Mexicans returning from abroad.
HR/ESC/99/44
25 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONTINUES REVIEW OF MEXICAN REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL COVENANT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon continued its consideration of the report of Mexico by querying a Government delegation on such issues as the practice of pregnancy test before employment, incidents against Mexican migrants at the border with the United States, and the situation in Chiapas, among other things.
In responding to questions raised by Committee experts, the Mexican officials said the Government of Mexico believed that the main problem of the Chiapas region was social inequalities, and because of that it had been implementing economic and social measures to improve the situation.
However, the rebels of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) had continued their armed struggle with funds obtained from outside the country which kept them alive, the delegation added.
An 11-member Mexican delegation, most of them coming from the capital city, was on hand to answer questions raised by Committee members on issues relating to economic, social, educational and cultural rights. The third periodic report of Mexico was presented this morning by the Government delegation.
Mexico is one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and as such it is obligated to present periodic reports to the Committee on how it is implementing the provisions of the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Friday, 26 November, it will continue its consideration of the report of Mexico.
Discussion
Committee members started their consideration of the report by querying the Mexican delegation on a series of issues. Among other things, they asked if the inhabitants of Chiapas had benefited from the measures taken by the Government to improve the economic and social situation; whether the financial assistance given by international organizations had helped the country to overcome its economic problems; if there was de facto discrimination against women; and about the progress made in respect to women's conditions.
An expert said that any armed conflict in any country could seriously impede the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. The expert wanted to know the genesis of the strife in Chiapas and in other similar situations; the measures taken by the Government to reduce disparities not only among the regions but also among the different groups of people; and about the causes which brought the banking crisis, which led to their bankruptcy.
In response to questions raised by Committee Experts in the morning and this afternoon, the members of the Mexican delegation said that following the 1990 national census, new diagnosis of the situation of extreme poverty had been carried out in 1995. The analysis of the situation had allowed the Government to take appropriate measures aimed at reducing extreme poverty.
Concerning the conflict in Chiapas, the delegation said the conflict started in the beginning of 1994 with an armed insurrection of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) in four municipalities. The rebels demanded the resignation of the President of the Republic and declared war on the Mexican army, threatening to march on the country's capital. Eleven days later, the Government indicated that it was only through negotiation that peace could be achieved. A committee for negotiation and peaceful dialogue had been established to facilitate dialogue between the rebels and the federal authorities.
The Government of Mexico believed that the main problem of Chiapas was social inequalities and that was why it had been implementing measures to improve the situation in the region, the delegation said. However, the Zapatistas had continued their armed struggle with funds obtained from outside the country which allowed them to continue their activities. The presence of the Mexican army in that region was to maintain order and to protect the population from the threat of the armed group.
Furthermore, the Government had been willing to implement the San Andrés Agreements on indigenous rights and culture, concluded by the EZLN and the Government, and which aimed at creating a new relationship between indigenous peoples, the communities, civil societies and the State, the delegation said. The Agreements recognized the right to self-determination and autonomy of indigenous peoples and communities and guaranteed a number of political, administrative, social, economic and cultural rights.
Turning to women's issues, the delegation said that women were not subjected to any legal limitation since the Constitution had given them the same rights and obligations as men. In addition, the National Human Rights Commission, which had a role of achieving equality of opportunity for men and women, had carried out an extensive study comparing the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Mexican legislation in order to detect shortcomings on gender equality.
Steps had also been taken by the Government to correct wage inequalities between men and women, the delegation said. However, investigations into the situation of working women tended to reveal the existence of a gender-related pay differential. Some of those investigations attributed the differential to the existence of wage discrimination, others associated it with the recruitment of women by certain industries and the segregation of occupations within those industries, the delegation added.
The assistance provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank was indispensable in improving the Mexican economy while it experienced difficulties, the delegation said. In addition, the assistance had given impetus to the Government's endeavours in redressing the economic situation. The economy was actually picking up and the situation was improving, the delegation added.
The bankruptcy that devastated Mexican banks was attributed to the 1995 high inflation rate of 50 per cent and the lack of liquidity in the country, the delegation said. Because of the high inflation, the country's currency was devaluated and payment to international creditors was suspended. Many banks lost their capacity to function normally and went bankrupt. In order to redress the situation, the Government implemented a "bank rescue package" and "bank salvage" measures, which had reversed the situation. At present, inflation stood at 12 per cent, the delegation added.
An Expert asked why women had to pass pregnancy tests to be employed in many Mexican enterprises and rejected if found positive. Another expert wanted to know about the problem of the "brain drain" with so many highly educated Mexicans moving to the United States. He also wanted to know were about the ill treatment of Mexican caught crossing the border with the United States. A question was also raised on the violent deaths of Mexicans in the United States, or while crossing borders. An expert said the Mexican authorities were not doing enough to protect their own citizens who were implicated in border crossing; and those who attempted to cross borders were brutalized in the hands of the United States and Mexican border guards.
A special committee was created by Mexico to monitor crimes committed around the border with the United States, the delegation said. The Government was more concerned by the crimes committed in the border areas rather than the border crossing problem. In addition, special programmes had been launched for Mexicans returning from abroad.