Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
Default title
15 November 1999
Share
MORNING
HR/ESC/99/27
15 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
OPENS TWENTY-FIRST SESSION
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights opened its autumn session this morning by hearing remarks from an official of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and by adopting its agenda and programme of work for the session.
During its three-week session, the Committee will consider reports submitted by Bulgaria, Argentina, Armenia, Cameroon and Mexico outlining Government efforts to implement the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It was also scheduled to consider the situation in Solomon Islands, based on available information because that country has never presented a report to the Committee.
In a brief opening statement, Hamid Gaham, Officer in Charge of the Support Services Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the members of the Committee that the High Commissioner, Mrs. Mary Robinson, was working on various programmes aimed at strengthening the operating capacities of treaty bodies and enabling better coordination among them.
Mr. Gaham said that the High Commissioner was also engaged in the preparation work of the upcoming World Conference on Racism and on the involvement of the Committee by contributing to the success of the Conference. He also said that the Mrs. Robinson will meet the members of the Committee on Friday to hold a discussion of a general nature.
Also this morning, Committee Expert Paul Hunt presented a background note on the draft general comment on article 13 of the Covenant. He said that the general comment on this article, which was the right to education, with 77 paragraphs, was longer than any existing General Comments of the Committee. It was expected that the Committee will start discussing the draft during its current session. In the past, the Committee had adopted General Comments on the right to shelter, on disabilities, and on older persons.
Commenting on the report of Bulgaria, which will be presented tomorrow, a representative of two Bulgarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said the majority of the Bulgarian NGOs were not consulted in the preparation process of the report.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will continue to hear statements from non-governmental organizations.
Statement by Non-Government Organization
GENOVEVA TISHEVA, of "Bulgaria Gender Research Foundation" and "Women Alliance for Development", said that the third periodic report of Bulgaria did not make any reference on the recommendations of other Committees on the situation in Bulgaria. The majority of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were excluded from the preparation process of the report. She said that her NGO was not consulted concerning on gender equality, a topic the Government did not mention in the report. The Government was not applying the principle of gender equality.
Ms. Tisheva said that no analysis was made on the negative or positive impacts of the various legislative proposals enacted in the country. In addition, the general effect of the economic structural adjustment and reform was not dealt with in the report.
The Government was not considering affirmative actions tailored to fit the needs of the various components of the society, Ms. Tisheva went on to say. There was no legally defined threshold on poverty and minimum wage. The Government should have taken the necessary measures on that regard.
In the report, the Government did not explain why minorities, particularly the Roma and the Turkish, lived in a vulnerable economic situation with low living standards, Ms. Tisheva said. In addition, the Government had no plans to resolve the difficulties encountered by those groups of citizens.
HR/ESC/99/27
15 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
OPENS TWENTY-FIRST SESSION
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights opened its autumn session this morning by hearing remarks from an official of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and by adopting its agenda and programme of work for the session.
During its three-week session, the Committee will consider reports submitted by Bulgaria, Argentina, Armenia, Cameroon and Mexico outlining Government efforts to implement the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It was also scheduled to consider the situation in Solomon Islands, based on available information because that country has never presented a report to the Committee.
In a brief opening statement, Hamid Gaham, Officer in Charge of the Support Services Branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the members of the Committee that the High Commissioner, Mrs. Mary Robinson, was working on various programmes aimed at strengthening the operating capacities of treaty bodies and enabling better coordination among them.
Mr. Gaham said that the High Commissioner was also engaged in the preparation work of the upcoming World Conference on Racism and on the involvement of the Committee by contributing to the success of the Conference. He also said that the Mrs. Robinson will meet the members of the Committee on Friday to hold a discussion of a general nature.
Also this morning, Committee Expert Paul Hunt presented a background note on the draft general comment on article 13 of the Covenant. He said that the general comment on this article, which was the right to education, with 77 paragraphs, was longer than any existing General Comments of the Committee. It was expected that the Committee will start discussing the draft during its current session. In the past, the Committee had adopted General Comments on the right to shelter, on disabilities, and on older persons.
Commenting on the report of Bulgaria, which will be presented tomorrow, a representative of two Bulgarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said the majority of the Bulgarian NGOs were not consulted in the preparation process of the report.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will continue to hear statements from non-governmental organizations.
Statement by Non-Government Organization
GENOVEVA TISHEVA, of "Bulgaria Gender Research Foundation" and "Women Alliance for Development", said that the third periodic report of Bulgaria did not make any reference on the recommendations of other Committees on the situation in Bulgaria. The majority of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were excluded from the preparation process of the report. She said that her NGO was not consulted concerning on gender equality, a topic the Government did not mention in the report. The Government was not applying the principle of gender equality.
Ms. Tisheva said that no analysis was made on the negative or positive impacts of the various legislative proposals enacted in the country. In addition, the general effect of the economic structural adjustment and reform was not dealt with in the report.
The Government was not considering affirmative actions tailored to fit the needs of the various components of the society, Ms. Tisheva went on to say. There was no legally defined threshold on poverty and minimum wage. The Government should have taken the necessary measures on that regard.
In the report, the Government did not explain why minorities, particularly the Roma and the Turkish, lived in a vulnerable economic situation with low living standards, Ms. Tisheva said. In addition, the Government had no plans to resolve the difficulties encountered by those groups of citizens.