Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concludes forty-eighth session

Committee on Economic, Social 
  and Cultural Rights 

18 May 2012

PROVISIONAL ROUNDUP

Issues Open Letter on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Context of the Economic and Financial Crisis

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its three-week forty-eighth session after adopting its report and its concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Slovakia, Peru, New Zealand, Spain and Ethiopia which were considered during the session.

In closing remarks, Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay, the Committee Chairperson, recalled that the session was opened on 30 April by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General.  During the session the Committee held regular meetings with United Nations bodies, national human rights institutions and civil society partners, to whom it was grateful for their contributions to its work and to the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in their areas and regions of work.  The Chairperson said that he has addressed an open letter to all States parties on economic, social and cultural rights and the economic and financial crisis.  In the letter, which was available on the website, the Chairperson highlights requirements that States Parties must meet to uphold their obligations under the Covenant, such as identification of the minimum core content of Covenant rights when applying austerity measures. 

As its core activities, the Committee conducted dialogues with representatives of five States parties; Slovakia, Peru, New Zealand, Spain and Ethiopia, and proceeded with the consideration of five sets of concluding observations.  The concluding observations for all States parties were adopted.  The concluding observations and recommendations for this session will be published on the Committee’s webpage at the end of day on Monday, 21 May.

In the course of the session the Committee also concluded the second reading of the Draft Rules of Procedures for the Optional Protocol to the Covenant, and expected to proceed with their adoption at the next session in November.  Other work included discussions with staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights about the ongoing Treaty Body Strengthening Process, and attendance at a meeting organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation which focused on the links between the Covenant and Environmental Law.  The Chairperson said he was pleased to announce that subsequent to the meeting the Committee adopted a statement on the ‘Green Economy’ in light of Rio+20, the forthcoming United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, which would be available on the Committee’s webpage from Monday, 21 May.

The Committee’s next session will be held from 12 to 30 November 2012 in Geneva, when it will consider the reports of Bulgaria, Ecuador, Iceland, Mauritania and Tanzania, and two non-reporting States, Equatorial Guinea and Republic of Congo.


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For use of the information media; not an official record