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HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE HEARS REPORT ON MEETING OF CHAIRPERSONS OF TREATY BODIES
19 October 1998
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AFTERNOON
HR/CT/98/28
19 October 1998
The Committee on Human Rights this afternoon heard a report on the 10th meeting of Chairpersons of Human Rights Treaty Bodies, which was held from 14 to 18 September 1998, from one of its experts who attended the session.
Omran El Shafei, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights, said Government representatives agreed with the six Chairpersons that the treaty bodies carried out "core functions" of the United Nations.
Following the meeting with Government representatives, the Chairpersons had decided that it had been a very useful exercise that should be institutionalized as part of the agenda of every meeting of Chairpersons. They said it should be better prepared to enable Governments to come up with more concrete proposals, Mr. El Shafei said.
Mr. El Shafei said Mary Robinson, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, had discussed with the Chairpersons how the work of the committees could be improved. Issues related to the availability of human and financial resources and the resulting backlog in the processing of periodic reports were also discussed.
He further said that Thérèse Gastaut, Director of the United Nations Information Service at Geneva, had informed the meeting of the ongoing information activities covering the work of all treaty bodies. To ensure better coverage of the meetings of treaty bodies, the Information Service would continue to work to make the activities of the committees better known through communications with Geneva-based correspondents.
Moreover, Mr. El Shafei said that Ms. Gastaut had also told the meeting that the Information Service would prepare, for November this year, an annual time-table for the six treaty bodies which would provide dates of meetings and list the State reports to be considered.
Also this afternoon, the Committee held a private meeting to discuss issues related to communications which it received from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of violations of their civil and political rights in their respective countries. The Committee will also continue its examination of communications in closed session all day Tuesday, 20 October.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 October, it will start consideration of the report of Iceland (document CCPR/C/94/Add.2) on that country's efforts to implement the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
HR/CT/98/28
19 October 1998
The Committee on Human Rights this afternoon heard a report on the 10th meeting of Chairpersons of Human Rights Treaty Bodies, which was held from 14 to 18 September 1998, from one of its experts who attended the session.
Omran El Shafei, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights, said Government representatives agreed with the six Chairpersons that the treaty bodies carried out "core functions" of the United Nations.
Following the meeting with Government representatives, the Chairpersons had decided that it had been a very useful exercise that should be institutionalized as part of the agenda of every meeting of Chairpersons. They said it should be better prepared to enable Governments to come up with more concrete proposals, Mr. El Shafei said.
Mr. El Shafei said Mary Robinson, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, had discussed with the Chairpersons how the work of the committees could be improved. Issues related to the availability of human and financial resources and the resulting backlog in the processing of periodic reports were also discussed.
He further said that Thérèse Gastaut, Director of the United Nations Information Service at Geneva, had informed the meeting of the ongoing information activities covering the work of all treaty bodies. To ensure better coverage of the meetings of treaty bodies, the Information Service would continue to work to make the activities of the committees better known through communications with Geneva-based correspondents.
Moreover, Mr. El Shafei said that Ms. Gastaut had also told the meeting that the Information Service would prepare, for November this year, an annual time-table for the six treaty bodies which would provide dates of meetings and list the State reports to be considered.
Also this afternoon, the Committee held a private meeting to discuss issues related to communications which it received from individuals or groups of individuals claiming to be victims of violations of their civil and political rights in their respective countries. The Committee will also continue its examination of communications in closed session all day Tuesday, 20 October.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 October, it will start consideration of the report of Iceland (document CCPR/C/94/Add.2) on that country's efforts to implement the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.