UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to review the United Kingdom

GENEVA (8 June 2016) – The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is due to review the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Wednesday 15  and Thursday 16 June. The UK is one of the 164 States* that have ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and so is required to report to the Committee of 18 independent human rights experts.

The Committee will discuss a range of issues relating to the implementation of the ICESCR with a delegation composed of representatives from the UK Government and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The meetings in Room XIX are public and will take place on 15 June from 15:00 – 18:00 (14:00 – 17:00 in London) and 16 June from 10:00 – 13:00 (09:00 – 12:00 in London).

More information, including the United Kingdom’s written report and information submitted by civil society groups, can be found here:  http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1059&Lang=en

The Committee will issue its findings on the UK and the other States being reviewed – France, Sweden, Honduras, Burkina Faso, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Angola - on 27 June and publish them at the above link.

ENDS

For more information, please contact: Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9466 / +41 79 752 0488 ethrossell@ohchr.org
Media accreditation for the Palais des Nations:   http://unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpPages)/70991F6887C73B2280256EE700379C58?OpenDocument

Background:

Members of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are independent human rights experts drawn from around the world, who serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of States parties. The Committee’s concluding observations are an independent assessment of States’ compliance with their human rights obligations under the treaty. More information:  http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/cescr/pages/cescrindex.aspx

*Check which countries have ratified the two Covenants and the other main international human rights treaties: http://indicators.ohchr.org/

50 years of the International Bill of Human Rights

2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These treaties, together with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, form the International Bill of Rights. A campaign by the UN Human Rights Office, entitled “Our Rights, Our Freedoms, Always”,  is running throughout the year to promote and raise awareness of the two treaties, focussing on the timeless themes of rights and freedoms, in particular freedom from fear, freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom from want. Check the campaign website at http://2covenants.ohchr.org

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