Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to hold sixty-second session from 18 September to 6 October 2017

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 

14 September 2017

BACKGROUND RELEASE

Committee to Consider Reports of Colombia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation and Mexico

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will hold its sixty-second session at the Palais des Nations (Room XVI) in Geneva from 18 September to 6 October 2017 to examine measures taken by Colombia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation and Mexico to comply with their obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

At the opening meeting on Monday, 18 September, the Committee will adopt its agenda and discuss organizational matters and its methods of work, and in the afternoon it will hold a meeting with non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions from countries whose reports will be reviewed during the first week of the session. 

Colombia is presenting its sixth periodic report (E/C.12/COL/6).  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its fifth periodic report, discussed in June 2010, are available here: E/C.12/COL/CO/5. 

Republic of Korea is presenting its fourth periodic report (E/C.12/KOR/4), whereas the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its third periodic report, discussed in December 2009, are available here: E/C.12/KOR/CO/3.

Republic of Moldova is presenting its third periodic report (E/C.12/MDA/3).  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its second periodic report, discussed in July 2011, are available here: E/C.12/MDA/CO/2.

Russian Federation is presenting its sixth periodic report (E/C.12/RUS/6), whereas the Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its fifth periodic report, discussed in July 2011, are available here: E/C.12/RUS/CO/5.

Mexico is presenting its combined fifth and sixth periodic report (E/C.12/MEX/5-6).  The Committee’s concluding observations and recommendations on its fourth periodic report, discussed in June 2006, are available here: E/C.12/MEX/CO/4.

Further information about the session, including the country reports and other documents before the Committee are available on the session’s webpage.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was adopted and opened  for signature, ratification and accession by the General Assembly in 1966.  It entered into force on 3 January 1976.

The right to self-determination is universal, affirms Article 1 of the Covenant, also calling upon States to respect and to promote the realization of this right.  Article 2 states that States Parties should undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.  Article 3 reaffirms the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all human rights and asks States to make that principle a reality.  Articles 4 and 5 provide safeguards against the destruction or undue limitation of any human right or fundamental freedom, and against misinterpretation of any provision of the Covenant as a means of justifying infringement of a right or freedom or its restriction to a greater extent than provided in the Covenant.  They also prevent States from limiting rights already enjoyed within their territories on the grounds that such rights are not recognized, or recognized to a lesser extent, in the Covenant.

Articles 6 to 15 recognize the right to work; to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work; to form and join trade unions; to social security, including social insurance; to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family, mothers, children and younger persons; to an adequate standard of living; to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; to an education and to take part in cultural life.

The Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is an international treaty establishing complaint and inquiry mechanisms.  It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 2008, and opened for signature on 24 September 2009.  The Optional Protocol entered into force on 5 May 2013 and has been ratified or acceded to by 22 States:  Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Gabon, Italy, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Montenegro, Niger, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Spain and Uruguay.

States Parties to the Covenant

The Covenant has been ratified or acceded to by 165 States: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, State of Palestine, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The Committee is composed of 18 independent experts who are persons of high moral character and recognized competence in the field of human rights.  Members are elected for a term of four years by States parties to the Covenant.  They serve in their personal capacity and may be re-elected if nominated.

The composition of the Committee is as follows: Aslan Abashidze (Russian Federation); Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim (Egypt); Clement Atangana (Cameroon); Maria-Virginia Bras Gomes (Portugal); Shiqiu Chen (China); Laura-Maria Craciunean (Romania); Chandrashekhar Dasgupta (India); Mikel Mancisidor de la Fuente (Spain); Olivier De Schutter (Belgium); Zdzislaw Kedzia (Poland); Azzouz Kerdoun (Algeria); Sandra Liebenberg (South Africa); Lydia Carmelita Ravenberg (Suriname); Waleed Sadi (Jordan); Heisoo Shin (Republic of Korea); Rodrigo Uprimny (Colombia); Michael Windfuhr (Germany); and Renato Zerbini Ribeiro Leao (Brazil).

Maria Virginia Bras Gomes is the Committee Chairperson, Mohamed Ezzeldin Adel-Moneim, Zdzislaw Kedzia and Heisoo Shin are Vice-chairpersons, and Lydia Carmelita Ravenberg is the Rapporteur.

Programme of Work

Monday, 18 September
10 a.m. Opening of the session, adoption of the agenda, organization of work

3 p.m.   Meeting with civil society partners (public)

Tuesday, 19 September
10 a.m. Closed meeting

3 p.m.   Report of Colombia (E/C.12/COL/6)

Wednesday, 20 September
10 a.m. Colombia (continued)

3 p.m.   Report of Republic of Korea (E/C.12/KOR/4)

Thursday, 21 September
10 a.m. Republic of Korea (continued)

3 p.m.   Report of Republic of Moldova (E/C.12/MDA/3)

Friday, 22 September
10 a.m. Republic of Moldova (continued)

3 p.m.   Closed meeting

Monday, 25 September
10 a.m. Meeting with civil society partners (public)

3 p.m.   Report of the Russian Federation (E/C.12/RUS/6)

Tuesday, 26 September
10 a.m. Russian Federation (continued)

3 p.m.   Closed meeting

Wednesday, 27 September
Closed meetings

Thursday, 28 September
10 a.m. Closed meeting

3 p.m.   Report of Mexico (E/C.12/MEX/5-6)

Friday, 29 September
10 a.m. Mexico (continued)

3 p.m.   Closed meeting

Monday, 2 October
Closed meetings

Tuesday, 3 October
Closed meetings

Wednesday, 4 October
10 a.m. Meeting with States

3 p.m.   Closed meeting

Thursday, 5 October
Closed meetings

Friday, 6 October
10 a.m. Closed meeting

3 p.m.   Closed meeting and public closing of the session

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For use of the information media; not an official record

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