HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS EIGHTY-EIGHTH SESSION

The Human Rights Committee, which reviews the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its 159 States parties, this morning opened its eighty-eighth session, hearing an address by a Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, following which it adopted its agenda and programme of work.

The Committee was addressed by Alessio Bruni, a Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who congratulated Abdelfattah Amor, Prafullachandra Natwaral Bhagwati, Christine Chanet, Walter Kälin and Ruth Wedgwood on their re-election to the Committee, and noted with appreciation that the number of women members would increase from 3 to 5 as of 2007. He observed that Andorra had ratified the Covenant and its first and second Optional Protocols; Bahrain had acceded to the Covenant; the Maldives had acceded to the Covenant and its first Optional Protocol; Moldova had acceded to the second Optional Protocol; and the Philippines had signed the second Optional Protocol.

With regard to recent developments in the area of human rights, Mr. Bruni highlighted the forthcoming adoption of the draft International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol by the General Assembly which constituted a crucial accomplishment for human rights, as it would represent the proper framework to address the often neglected rights of an estimated 10 per cent of the world’s population, or 650 million people.

During the next three weeks, Mr. Bruni said the Committee would consider four reports, a large number of communications, and would continue its deliberations on article 14 of the Covenant and on its working methods, as well as consider progress reports from the Special Rapporteurs on Follow-up of Views and on Concluding Observations. Finally, the fourth meeting of States parties to the Covenant would be held on 27 October 2006 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Chairman of the Working Group on Communications to the eighty-eighth session of the Committee, Roman Wieruszewski, presented the report of the Working Group, which had held 10 meetings from 9 to 13 October in which it considered 31 of 32 recommendations presented to it. The Working Group issued 16 recommendations on draft Views, 1 decision declaring a case admissible, and issued 14 recommendations for inadmissibility. The Group also recommended that, over and above the meetings currently scheduled for that purpose, one additional meeting of the Committee be scheduled to examine communications during the present session.

When the Committee reconvenes this afternoon, at 3 p.m., it will begin its consideration of the initial report of Honduras (CCPR/C/HND/2005/1).

Statement by the Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

ALESSIO BRUNI, Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that, since the Committee’s July session, important developments had occurred related to the Human Rights Committee in particular, and the United Nations human rights system in general. The Twenty-fifth Meeting of States Parties had convened at United Nations Headquarters on 7 September 2006 to elect nine members of the Committee to replace those whose terms were due to expire on 31 December. He congratulated Mr. Amor, Mr. Bhagwati, Ms. Chanet, Mr. Kälin and Ms. Wedgwood on their re-election to the Committee, and noted with appreciation that the number of women members would increase from three to five as of 2007.

With regard in particular to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Optional Protocols, Andorra had ratified the Covenant and its first and second Optional Protocols; Bahrain had acceded to the Covenant; the Maldives had acceded to the Covenant and its first Optional Protocol; Moldova had acceded to the second Optional Protocol; and the Philippines had signed the second Optional Protocol. Regarding reporting obligations under article 40 of the Covenant, Georgia had submitted its third periodic report; the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia its second and third periodic reports; Algeria its third and fourth periodic reports; and Austria its fourth periodic report.

On 25 August 2006, the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive Integral International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity Persons with Disabilities adopted the draft International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, which established a new treaty monitoring body with authority to consider periodic reports and individual communications, as well as to undertake inquiries upon receipt of reliable information including grave or systematic violations of the Convention. The forthcoming adoption of the draft convention and its Optional Protocol by the General Assembly at its sixty-first session constituted a crucial accomplishment for human rights, as it would represent the proper framework to address the often neglected rights of an estimated 10 per cent of the world’s population, or 650 million people.

On 28 September 2006, in her capacity as Chairperson of the eighteenth meeting of chairpersons of treaty bodies, Ms. Chanet had addressed a statement to the Human Rights Council at its second session. She underlined that the information which formed part of the basis of the Universal Periodic Review to be established by the Council should also include treaty body findings and recommendations, which were reflected in their concluding observations. She also stressed that treaty bodies were eager to develop a specific relationship with the Council in order to reflect together on their complementary roles with a view to ensuring comprehensive protection of the rights of all. The heart of the matter was to create synergy rather than overlap between special procedures and treaty bodies’ mechanism and the Universal Periodic Review.

Turning to treaty body reform, as a follow-up to recommendations of the Fifth Inter-Committee Meeting and Eighteenth Meeting of Treaty Bodies, a working group on reform proposals was scheduled for 27 and 28 November 2006. At its last session, the Committee had established an inter-sessional Working Group composed of Mr. Amor and Mr. O’Flaherty mandated to study the whole documentation on the treaty body reform and to formulate recommendations on the Committee’s position vis-à-vis the unified standing treaty body and other proposals in the area of reforms. The Working Group would report to the Committee at the present session.

During the next three weeks, Mr. Bruni said the Committee would consider four reports, a large number of communications, and would continue its deliberations on article 14 of the Covenant and on its working methods, as well as consider progress reports from the Special Rapporteurs on Follow-up of Views and to Concluding Observations. Finally, they would hold the fourth meeting of States parties to the Covenant on 27 October 2006 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.