Welcome to the United Nations 
OHCHR 
Press releases Multiple Mechanisms
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TELLS ANTI-RACISM COMMITTEE ABOUT THE INTERNAL TASK FORCE TO STUDY HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS
11 August 1998
Share
MORNING
HR/CERD/98/45
11 August 1998
Committee Requests Information From Australia and Czech Republic on Aborigional Land rights and Roma Housing
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, this morning told the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that she had appointed an internal Task Force to carry out a study on human rights mechanisms.
The remark came as the members of the Committee met with Mrs. Robinson to discuss miscellaneous issues ranging from the Committee's contribution to the preparatory work of the World Conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination, to regional cooperation and coordination in combating racism.
Mrs. Robinson said the Committee was one of the oldest treaty bodies with great responsibilities and she commended its members for their contribution to the elimination of racial discrimination.
Also this morning, the Committee discussed the situation in Kosovo and set up an open-ended working group to study the situation in Kosovo and draft a text to be addressed to the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Further, the Committee decided to request the Governments of Australia and the Czech Republic to provide it with further information regarding recent developments in their respective countries which retained the Committee's attention.
The Government of Australia was requested to inform the Committee by 15 January, 1999, on the changes recently projected to the 1993 Native Title Act, on any changes of policy as to Aboriginal land rights, and of the functions of the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders Social Justice Commissioner.
It also decided to request the Government of the Czech Republic to provide the Committee with information on the reports that certain municipalities were contemplating measures for the physical segregation of some residential units housing Roma families.
Participating in the discussion this morning were Committee experts Gay McDougall, Ivan Garvalov, Michael E. Sherifis, Michael E. Sherifis, Rüdiger Wolfrum, Régies de Gouttes, Mario Jorge Yutzis, Theodoor van Boven, Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr, Michael P. Banton, Peter Nobel, Yuri A. Rechetov, Agha Shahi, and Ion Diaconu.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the report of Jordan.
Discussion with High Commissioner for Human Rights
MARY ROBINSON, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, answering questions raised by Committee members, said she had named an internal Task Force on human rights mechanisms to lead an in-house process to provide her Office with input aimed at improving significantly the effectiveness of these mechanisms.
The Task Force was expected to carry out a review of mechanisms and would undertake academic review of the treaty system applicable to the promotion of human rights, Mrs. Robinson went on to state. The Task Force would take into consideration the resolution of the Commission on Human Rights to undertake a review of the Commission's mechanisms and the thorough review of the activities of the United Nations initiated by the Secretary-General. A private foundation was expected to provide financial support to carry out the study.
Mrs. Robinson said the Committee was playing an important role in the preparation of the forthcoming World Conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination. In that connection, the Commission on Human Rights had invited the Committee to prepare a study paper on the issue of racism and racial discrimination.
Mrs. Robinson said she would support Committee members' desire to hold alternate meetings between New York and Geneva every second year. Almost all the 150 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination with which the Committee was dealing with, including small countries, were represented more in New York than in Geneva.
Mrs. Robinson further said that following the fifth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration, she was seeking to promote the ratification of the International Convention in order to attain its universality, and to advise States to remove their reservations. The universal ratification of the International Convention was vital, she stressed.
With regards to broad cooperation with regional organizations, Mrs. Robinson said that recently a meeting had been held in New York with regional organizations such as the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League, and other European organizations, to design a working method to work together.
On the question of financial resources, Mrs. Robinson underlined that resources were critical and that the Secretary-General had been requested to increase resources. She said that in addition to the regular budget, her Office had been using extra-budgetary resources in its activities.
HR/CERD/98/45
11 August 1998
Committee Requests Information From Australia and Czech Republic on Aborigional Land rights and Roma Housing
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, this morning told the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that she had appointed an internal Task Force to carry out a study on human rights mechanisms.
The remark came as the members of the Committee met with Mrs. Robinson to discuss miscellaneous issues ranging from the Committee's contribution to the preparatory work of the World Conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination, to regional cooperation and coordination in combating racism.
Mrs. Robinson said the Committee was one of the oldest treaty bodies with great responsibilities and she commended its members for their contribution to the elimination of racial discrimination.
Also this morning, the Committee discussed the situation in Kosovo and set up an open-ended working group to study the situation in Kosovo and draft a text to be addressed to the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Further, the Committee decided to request the Governments of Australia and the Czech Republic to provide it with further information regarding recent developments in their respective countries which retained the Committee's attention.
The Government of Australia was requested to inform the Committee by 15 January, 1999, on the changes recently projected to the 1993 Native Title Act, on any changes of policy as to Aboriginal land rights, and of the functions of the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders Social Justice Commissioner.
It also decided to request the Government of the Czech Republic to provide the Committee with information on the reports that certain municipalities were contemplating measures for the physical segregation of some residential units housing Roma families.
Participating in the discussion this morning were Committee experts Gay McDougall, Ivan Garvalov, Michael E. Sherifis, Michael E. Sherifis, Rüdiger Wolfrum, Régies de Gouttes, Mario Jorge Yutzis, Theodoor van Boven, Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr, Michael P. Banton, Peter Nobel, Yuri A. Rechetov, Agha Shahi, and Ion Diaconu.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the report of Jordan.
Discussion with High Commissioner for Human Rights
MARY ROBINSON, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, answering questions raised by Committee members, said she had named an internal Task Force on human rights mechanisms to lead an in-house process to provide her Office with input aimed at improving significantly the effectiveness of these mechanisms.
The Task Force was expected to carry out a review of mechanisms and would undertake academic review of the treaty system applicable to the promotion of human rights, Mrs. Robinson went on to state. The Task Force would take into consideration the resolution of the Commission on Human Rights to undertake a review of the Commission's mechanisms and the thorough review of the activities of the United Nations initiated by the Secretary-General. A private foundation was expected to provide financial support to carry out the study.
Mrs. Robinson said the Committee was playing an important role in the preparation of the forthcoming World Conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination. In that connection, the Commission on Human Rights had invited the Committee to prepare a study paper on the issue of racism and racial discrimination.
Mrs. Robinson said she would support Committee members' desire to hold alternate meetings between New York and Geneva every second year. Almost all the 150 States parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination with which the Committee was dealing with, including small countries, were represented more in New York than in Geneva.
Mrs. Robinson further said that following the fifth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration, she was seeking to promote the ratification of the International Convention in order to attain its universality, and to advise States to remove their reservations. The universal ratification of the International Convention was vital, she stressed.
With regards to broad cooperation with regional organizations, Mrs. Robinson said that recently a meeting had been held in New York with regional organizations such as the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Arab League, and other European organizations, to design a working method to work together.
On the question of financial resources, Mrs. Robinson underlined that resources were critical and that the Secretary-General had been requested to increase resources. She said that in addition to the regular budget, her Office had been using extra-budgetary resources in its activities.