Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Treaty bodies
Default title
13 November 2000
Share
CESCR
24th session
13 November 2000
Morning
Hears Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning started its autumn session by hearing an opening statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan.
In his statement, Mr. Ramcharan said that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was involved in rights-based approach activities relating to economic, social and cultural rights. The approach had found its very foundation in the international human rights legal framework, of which the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was an essential component.
Also this morning, the Committee heard statements by representatives of the International Women's Rights Action Watch and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
During the Committee's three-week session, its 18 independent experts are scheduled to consider reports from Portugal, Finland, Belgium, Yugoslavia and Morocco. On Monday, 27 November, the Committee will hold, in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a general discussion on article 15 (1) (c) of the Covenant concerning the "right of everyone to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author."
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will discuss other substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant, an exercise during which it is scheduled to hear from non-governmental organizations.
Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
BERTRAND RAMCHARAN, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that one of the main themes of the ongoing events and activities relating to economic, social and cultural rights, which the Office was involved in, had been and still was the importance of a rights-based approach. The approach found its very foundation in the international human rights legal framework, of which the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was an essential component.
Mr. Ramcharan recalled that the High Commissioner had stressed the value of the rights-based approach on numerous occasions, and in particular during the Beijing Plus 5 Review Conference, and the Copenhagen Plus 5 Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly which had taken place earlier this year.
The Deputy High Commissioner further recalled that during its most recent session in August 2000, the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights had decided to hold a presessional forum on economic, social and cultural rights, referred to as the Social Forum. Such a Social Forum was intended to address the numerous economic, social and cultural issues that had been extensively studied and discussed by the Subcommission. The issues to be addressed were, among other things, the relationship between economic, social and cultural rights and globalization, and poverty and the feminization of poverty. The intention was to propose legal standards and initiatives, guidelines and other recommendations to be considered by the Commission on Human Rights and other bodies.
Concerning other activities, Mr. Ramcharan said that last February a workshop had been held in Sana'a, Yemen, on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development; and as it was the first workshop of its kind, it had generated much interest in the topic. Other workshops were planned; and one would be focusing on the impact of globalization on the right to development and human rights. Another would bring together members of the judiciary of the Asia-Pacific region to discuss the justiciability of economic, social and cultural rights.
* *** *
24th session
13 November 2000
Morning
Hears Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning started its autumn session by hearing an opening statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan.
In his statement, Mr. Ramcharan said that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was involved in rights-based approach activities relating to economic, social and cultural rights. The approach had found its very foundation in the international human rights legal framework, of which the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was an essential component.
Also this morning, the Committee heard statements by representatives of the International Women's Rights Action Watch and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
During the Committee's three-week session, its 18 independent experts are scheduled to consider reports from Portugal, Finland, Belgium, Yugoslavia and Morocco. On Monday, 27 November, the Committee will hold, in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a general discussion on article 15 (1) (c) of the Covenant concerning the "right of everyone to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author."
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will discuss other substantive issues arising in the implementation of the Covenant, an exercise during which it is scheduled to hear from non-governmental organizations.
Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
BERTRAND RAMCHARAN, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that one of the main themes of the ongoing events and activities relating to economic, social and cultural rights, which the Office was involved in, had been and still was the importance of a rights-based approach. The approach found its very foundation in the international human rights legal framework, of which the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was an essential component.
Mr. Ramcharan recalled that the High Commissioner had stressed the value of the rights-based approach on numerous occasions, and in particular during the Beijing Plus 5 Review Conference, and the Copenhagen Plus 5 Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly which had taken place earlier this year.
The Deputy High Commissioner further recalled that during its most recent session in August 2000, the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights had decided to hold a presessional forum on economic, social and cultural rights, referred to as the Social Forum. Such a Social Forum was intended to address the numerous economic, social and cultural issues that had been extensively studied and discussed by the Subcommission. The issues to be addressed were, among other things, the relationship between economic, social and cultural rights and globalization, and poverty and the feminization of poverty. The intention was to propose legal standards and initiatives, guidelines and other recommendations to be considered by the Commission on Human Rights and other bodies.
Concerning other activities, Mr. Ramcharan said that last February a workshop had been held in Sana'a, Yemen, on the realization of economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development; and as it was the first workshop of its kind, it had generated much interest in the topic. Other workshops were planned; and one would be focusing on the impact of globalization on the right to development and human rights. Another would bring together members of the judiciary of the Asia-Pacific region to discuss the justiciability of economic, social and cultural rights.
* *** *