COMMITTEE ON ENFORCED DISAPPARANCES OPENS SECOND SESSION
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances opened its second session this morning, hearing a statement from United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and adopting its agenda and programme of work.
The Committee also held a minute of silence in remembrance of victims of enforced disappearances, heard a statement from its Chairperson and held an exchange of views between Committee members and the High Commissioner. The Chairperson made two minor adjustments to the Committee’s programme of work, and then the Committee adopted its agenda.
In her opening statement Navi Pillay, High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that enforced disappearance was one of the most heinous crimes. Disappeared persons were literally made ‘invisible’. The Convention on Enforced Disappearances increasingly drew attention and sought remedies for a plight that affected countless individuals but that all too often remained unaddressed. Ms. Pillay was heartened to see that the Committee had devoted one of its thematic discussions to the effects that enforced disappearances had on women and children. The beginning of the practical application of the Convention was a historical milestone in the journey towards achieving justice for, and hopefully truth about, disappeared persons and their families.
Emmanuel Decaux, Chairperson of the Committee, said that the promotion of the ratification of the Convention by countries emerging from crises was extremely important, and in that context the ratification by Tunisia was exemplary. The Committee had identified three priorities: to react to urgent appeals and deal with communications in an effective way with the hope of protecting victims and their relatives, to respond to States parties reports in a rapid and innovative way, especially once the longer sessions began in 2013, and to do everything in its power to implement the provisions of article 33 including, if necessary, country visits.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 29 March 2012 when it will meet with States, United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations and national human rights institutions, followed by a meeting at 12 p.m. with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders.
Opening Statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
NAVI PILLAY, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that enforced disappearance was one of the most heinous crimes. Disappeared persons were literally made ‘invisible’. The Convention on Enforced Disappearances increasingly drew attention and sought remedies for a plight that affected countless individuals but that all too often remained unaddressed. Ms. Pillay was heartened to see that the Committee had devoted one of its thematic discussions to the effects that enforced disappearances had on women and children. As victims of disappearances, women were particularly vulnerable to sexual and other forms of violence. If their partner or a male member of the family disappeared, women usually bore the economic, social and psychological consequences. Since women were also at the forefront of the struggle to resolve the disappearances of members of their families, they were most likely to be at the forefront of the victim’s interaction with the Committee.
Ms. Pillay spoke about treaty body strengthening, concerns raised by the General Assembly resolution of 23 February 2012, and recommendations on the subject by treaty bodies, Member States and her Office. The treaty body system had significantly influenced the enjoyment of human rights across the globe, and now comprised of ten treaty bodies and 172 experts. The United Nations aimed to have a treaty body system that worked both efficiently and effectively, with appropriate resources and Secretariat support: however the status quo was no longer viable and change was urgently needed. The Committee had a full agenda for its second session. In addition to considering the on-going process of treaty body strengthening, the second session presented a unique time for the Committee to concentrate on the methodology of its work, such as its urgent action procedure, or how best to bring the widespread practice of enforced disappearance to the attention of the General Assembly. The beginning of the practical application of the Convention was a historical milestone in the journey towards achieving justice for, and hopefully truth about, disappeared persons and their families.
Opening Statement by the Committee Chairperson
EMMANUEL DECAUX, Chairman of the Committee, said that since the Committee had become operational it had sought to listen to the testimonies of individuals, and also to the views of Member States. The Convention had universal calling, and did not only concern certain countries and certain continents. The promotion of the ratification of the Convention by countries emerging from crises was extremely important, and in that context the ratification by Tunisia was exemplary. Since its first session the Committee had finalized its rules of procedure, and obtained important support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, including a permanent secretariat. The Committee had identified three priorities: to react to urgent appeals and deal with communications in an effective way with the hope of protecting victims and their relatives, to respond to States parties reports in a rapid and innovative way, especially once the longer sessions began in 2013, and to do everything in its power to implement the provisions of article 33 including, if necessary, country visits.
The Committee may be the newest treaty body, and the most fragile, but it was also the most innovative. The minute of silence the Committee had established in remembrance of the victims of enforced disappearances emphasized that the body was victim orientated. The Committee must be transparent, open and available for consultation with all stakeholders. Impartiality must not mean indifference. The requirement to submit a country report within two years for the first 25 States parties would act as a litmus test for how States engaged with the Committee. Fruitful contacts had been established with the Working Group on enforced and involuntary disappearances, while informal meetings were planned with the International Committee of the Red Cross. While the Committee members were the guardians of the Convention, it was far bigger than them, and the Committee must make it come alive and bear fruit after 30 years of efforts.
Minute of Silence in Remembrance of Victims of Enforced Disappearance
The Committee observed a minute of silence in remembrance of all victims of enforced disappearances.
Exchange of Views between the High Commissioner and Committee Members
Committee members asked the High Commissioner questions about fieldwork conducted by her Office, and inquired what potential support her regional offices could provide to the Committee. Could regional officers be involved in disseminating the Convention, particularly in countries that had not yet ratified the Committee?
Ms. Pillay said that as a former judge on the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda and later as a judge at the International Criminal Court, she had consulted the jurisprudence of treaty body experts, and when she became High Commissioner she personally very much supported such jurisprudence. Ms. Pillay said her office had a presence in 58 countries, whether they had been invited in as human rights advisers or were present as part of a Security Council mandate. There were many regional officers in Africa and Latin America, while a regional office was planned for Cairo, which would cover the entire region. Promoting the ratification of human rights treaties was certainly a priority for regional offices. Ms. Pillay spoke about the burden some States parties said treaty bodies represented for them, and about financial and budgetary constraints within the United Nations system.
For use of information media; not an official record
CED12/002E