In Geneva, the 103rd Session of the Human Rights Committee (the treaty body charged with monitoring compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) is underway; it will examine the compliance of Jamaica, Kuwait, Norway, Iran, Malawi (no report submitted), and convene Country Task Forces regarding Armenia, Lithuania, Kenya, Cape Verde (no report submitted), Uruguay, Cameroon, Monaco, Denmark, Moldova in preparation for their reviews by the Committee next year, and reviewing individual complaints (in closed session). See the agenda and documentation here, and view live stream video of the Committee’s discussion here [courtesy of The Centre for Civil and Political Rights].
In New York, the United Nations General Assembly – which includes its Third Committee, focused on social and humanitarian issues – began its 66th Session on September 13. See the provisional agenda here. The Third Committee heard reports from the special procedures mandate holders, and tomorrow will hear from the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. The UN Security Council will also meet to discuss the situation in Sudan, and has held meetings on a number of situations throughout October (see its programme of work for October here).
In Geneva, the Working Group on mercenaries is also meeting this week
In Paris, the 36th Session of the General Conference of the UN specialized agency, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) begins today, one day after United Nations Day.
In Washington, D.C., the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is holding its 143rd Period of Sessions, which includes a number of public hearings on individual cases and thematic issues of concern. See the live webcast of the hearings here, or visit the Commission’s database of all audio and video recordings of hearings here. Topics of today’s IACHR hearings include violence against indigenous women in the United States, freedom of expression in Ecuador and access to public information in Venezuela.
In Banjul, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is holding its 50th Session and commemorating the 30th anniversary of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The ACHPR will review states’ reports, hear from its special rapporteurs, consider a number of human rights topics in the region, and consider individual complaints (in private sessions).
The European Court of Human Rights, which operates year-round, has no public hearings scheduled for this week, but next week the Grand Chamber will hold a hearing on Scoppola N° 3 v. Italy 18.0102011, a case concerning a ban on the right to vote as part of hte punishment for a criminal conviction.