HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS SEVENTY-FIFTH SESSION

Human Rights Committee
75th session
8 July 2002
Morning



Good Governance Crucial for Protection of Human Rights,
Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Says


The Human Rights Committee this morning opened its summer session by hearing an address by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand G. Ramcharan who said that good governance was crucial for the protection and ensuring of human rights.
Mr. Ramcharan stated that human rights were the essence of the United Nations and central to the achievement of its vision of a world of peace and justice grounded in economic and social progress and individual freedom.
He said that no other organization in history had done more for human rights than the United Nations, with its law-making work, its fact-finding activities and its advisory services targeted at human rights capacity-building in every country.
Also this morning, the Committee adopted it agenda and programme of work; and it heard the report of its presessional working group.
During the coming three-weeks, the Committee is scheduled to examine the reports of New Zealand, Viet Nam, Gambia, Yemen and Republic of Moldova. Gambia will be considered in the absence of a second periodic report under a new procedure which entered into force in March 2001.
In closed meetings, the Committee will consider communications that are submitted under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant. Two hundred and fifty communications are pending before the Committee. Pursuant to the Committee's new rules of procedure allowing the joint examination of admissibility and merits in most cases, the Committee's examination of those communications might result in the adoption of Views, or in decisions declaring the communications admissible or inadmissible.
After adjourning its public meeting, the Committee went into private session to hear briefings by representatives of non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations. This afternoon and tomorrow morning, the Committee will continue its private meeting to deal with communications.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 July, it will start its consideration of the fourth periodic report of New Zealand. (For further information please see background release HR/CT/02/1)

Statement by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
BERTRAND G. RAMCHARAN, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that human rights were the essence of the United Nations and central to the achievement of its vision of a world of peace and justice grounded in economic and social progress and individual freedom. No other organization in history had done more for human rights than the United Nations, with its law-making work, its fact-finding activities and its advisory services targeted at human rights capacity-building in every country.
Mr. Ramcharan said that good governance was crucial to the protection and ensuring of human rights. The rule of law was also essential for the protection of human rights. The independence of the judiciary was particularly crucial in the protection of human rights.
Mr. Ramcharan also emphasized the principle of equality and non-discrimination as being essential, adding that the Durban Conference against Racism was striving for that. The implementation of human rights instruments, in letter and spirit, was central to the promotion and protection of human rights. Also, reconciliation and justice were crucial: the Office was making a balance by providing assistance to States through its technical and advisory services. Focus should also be made to see that national protection systems were compatible with international norms, and whether the constitutions were in conformity with the treaties.
He said that emerging problems such as developments in bio-technology needed to be examined from a human rights perspective.
The Deputy High Commissioner noted with interest the decisions on working methods and on follow-up to concluding observations that the Committee had adopted during the last session. He particularly welcomed the Committee's decision to appoint a Special Rapporteur for follow-up on concluding observations. The Committee against Torture had followed the Committee's example at its recently concluded session by instituting a similar follow-up procedure.
The Office was considering ways in which it could support and strengthen the follow-up process for all Committees, Mr. Ramcharan continued to say. The Senior Policy Committee recently had approved a project document for the establishment of a Treaty Body Recommendation Unit, which would have the task of assisting the Committee in its follow-up activities and also aimed at compiling "best practices" in the area of follow-up.



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