Credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) commenced its 55th session in Geneva, Switzerland on June 1. During this session, which will end on June 19, the Committee will review the State reports of Chile, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Thailand, Uganda, and Venezuela concerning the States’ implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). During the session, representatives from each State will engage in a dialogue with members of the CESCR regarding the list of issues, which consists of those topics the Committee had previously asked each State to address in its report. The Committee will also review reports submitted by civil society organizations and national human rights institutions (NHRIs). At the conclusion of the review process, the Committee will issue concluding observations for each State, containing its concerns and recommendations on each State’s implementation of the Convention. All States are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee within two years of accepting the Covenant and every five years thereafter.
Archived Committee sessions are available on the UN Treaty Body Webcast.
Chile
The CESCR asked Chile to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: recognize and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, especially by developing consultation and participation procedures; guarantee the equal rights of men and women, particularly with respect to equal pay and pension rights; reduce the unemployment rate, especially among 18-24 year olds; and secure trade union rights, including the right to strike. Chile was also asked to comment on measures it has taken to reform the social security system, prevent all forms of violence against women, and provide comprehensive protection for victims of violence. The Committee also asked Chile to provide information on plans to reduce the housing shortage; guarantee access to free and quality primary education; and provide affordable Internet access to disadvantaged groups, especially those in rural areas. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the fourth periodic report of Chile, E/C.12/CHL/Q/4, 22 December 2014.
For detailed information on Chile’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Chile’s report (only available in Spanish).
Multiple civil society organizations, including Amnesty International and the Center for Reproductive Rights, submitted reports to the Committee concerning Chile’s implementation of the ICESCR. Additionally, the Chilean National Human Rights Institute, the NHRI in Chile, submitted a supplementary report for the Committee’s consideration.
Ireland
The Committee asked Ireland to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation; ensure equality between men and women, including eliminating gender stereotypes and promoting the equal sharing of responsibilities in the home; improve access to employment for disadvantaged and marginalized individuals; adopt collective bargaining legislation; and enforce regulations to protect persons with disabilities in residential centers from abuse. Ireland was asked to provide information on several issues with respect to the Travellers, a nomadic indigenous minority who share a long shared history, cultural values, language, customs, and traditions and are considered a distinct and self-defined group; an estimated 25,000 Travellers currently reside in Ireland. See Irish Traveller Movement, About Irish Travellers, http://itmtrav.ie/irishtravellers. For example, the CESCR asked Ireland about the degree to which the Traveller Education Strategy ensures that Travellers enjoy equal enjoyment of the right to education; results of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 in addressing poverty especially among children, single-parent families, Travellers, and Roma; and whether Ireland is taking steps to recognize Traveller ethnicity. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the third periodic report of Ireland, E/C.12/IRL/Q/3, 17 December 2014.
For detailed information on Ireland’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Ireland’s report.
Fourteen civil society organizations, including Amnesty International (AI), submitted reports to the Committee concerning Ireland’s implementation of the ICESCR. Additionally, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the NHRI in Ireland, submitted a supplementary report for the Committee’s consideration.
Kyrgyzstan
The Committee asked Kyrgyzstan to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation; increase the number of women in Parliament; increase the minimum wage to meet “living wage benchmarks” in the State’s constitution; and improve the availability and quality of health-care services, especially emergency care in rural areas. The Committee also asked Kyrgyzstan to comment on plans to combat child labor, domestic violence, and the housing shortage. Kyrgyzstan was asked to provide information on measures it has taken to increase attendance in schools by girls; children in rural areas; children belonging to national minorities; children with disabilities; and children of migrants and stateless persons, particularly those from the Central Asia Roma ethnic community who do not have birth certificates. The Committee also inquired about programs to promote awareness of the cultural heritage of ethnic groups living in Kyrgyzstan. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the combined second and third periodic reports of Kyrgyzstan, E/C.12/KGZ/Q/2-3, 9 December 2014.
For detailed information on Kyrgyzstan’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Kyrgyzstan’s report.
Eight civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and PEN International, submitted reports to the Committee concerning Kyrgyzstan’s implementation of the ICESCR.
Mongolia
The Committee asked Mongolia to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: ensure the effective participation of rural herding communities in the decision-making process on issues affecting them; respond to allegations of human rights violations; address the effects of development projects on the loss of livelihood; improve access to public facilities, including education and health-care facilities, especially for persons with disabilities; and increase women’s representation in power-sharing and decision-making positions. Mongolia was also asked to provide information on plans to improve access to sexual, reproductive, and maternal health services, particularly for adolescents and Kazakh women. Additionally, the CESCR asked Mongolia to address the persistence of gender-based violence, and to discuss steps it has taken to combat child labor in hazardous industries, such as mining. The Committee inquired about measures to reduce school dropout rates, particularly among boys, children from ethnic and linguistic minorities, and children living in remote areas. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the fourth periodic report of Mongolia, E/C.12/MNG/Q/4, 12 December 2014.
For detailed information on Mongolia’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Mongolia’s report.
Several civil society organizations, including the Kaleidoscope Human Rights Foundation, submitted reports to the Committee concerning Mongolia’s implementation of the ICESCR.
Thailand
The Committee asked Thailand to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: recognize and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly with respect to land they traditionally occupy or use; adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation; increase women’s representation in decision-making positions in public and private sectors; combat the abuse and exploitation of migrant workers; improve the availability, accessibility, and quality of health-care services, especially in remote areas; and ensure national social security coverage. The Committee inquired about legislation protecting children from sexual and economic exploitation, as well as exposure to hazardous or abusive work. Thailand was also asked to comment on measures to protect and compensate victims of human trafficking and the possibility of developing a national strategy to combat poverty in accordance with a human rights-based approach. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the combined initial and second periodic reports of Thailand, E/C.12/THA/Q/1-2, 17 December 2014.
For detailed information on Thailand’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Thailand’s report.
Multiple civil society organizations, including Asian Legal Resource Centre and the International Federation for Human Rights, submitted reports to the Committee concerning Thailand’s implementation of the ICESCR. Additionally, The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, the NHRI in Thailand, submitted a supplementary report for the Committee’s consideration.
Uganda
The Committee asked Uganda to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: ensure the free, prior and informed consent of people affected by the State’s oil, gas, and mining contracts; combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; improve women’s access to land and property rights; reduce unemployment, especially with respect to youth; and ensure the right to form and join trade unions, including for casual and temporary workers. The CESCR asked Uganda to provide information on plans to reduce gender-based violence and combat child labor, child sacrifice, and early and forced marriages. Uganda was asked to comment on steps taken to improve access to drinking water, adequate housing, sexual and reproductive health services, and universal primary education. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the initial report of Uganda, E/C.12/UGA/Q/1, 22 December 2014.
For detailed information on Uganda’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Uganda’s report.
Multiple civil society organizations, including FIAN International and the International Commission of Jurists, submitted reports to the Committee concerning Uganda’s implementation of the ICESCR. Additionally, the Uganda Human Rights Commission, the NHRI in Uganda, submitted a supplementary report for the Committee’s consideration.
Venezuela
The Committee asked Venezuela to provide an update on the measures it has taken to: protect the rights of indigenous peoples, including their cultural and property rights; enact comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, particularly to protect indigenous persons of African descent, refugees, and persons with HIV/AIDS with respect to their economic, social, and cultural rights; combat gender-based wage discrimination; address the high rate of employment in the informal economy; and provide social support services and Internet access, particularly to disadvantaged and marginalized groups in rural areas. The Committee asked Venezuela to provide information on plans to combat child labor, reduce the housing shortage, and improve access to physical and mental health services. Venezuela was also asked to comment on how the State would ensure that schools provide high-quality education. See Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, List of issues in relation to the third periodic report of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, E/C.12/VEN/Q/3, 19 December 2014.
For detailed information on Venezuela’s replies to the Committee’s inquiries see Venezuela’s report (only available in Spanish and Russian).
Multiple civil society organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Transparency Venezuela, submitted reports for the Committee’s consideration concerning Venezuela’s implementation of the ICESCR.
Additional Information
The CESCR is one of ten committees of experts established to assess States’ implementation of specific UN human rights treaties. To learn more about the CESCR and the other human rights treaty bodies, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.