Credit: UN Photo/Pierre-Michel Virot
In the month of June, several universal and regional bodies will be in session to assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through interactive dialogues, the consideration of State and civil society reports, country visits, and the review of individual complaints. Two United Nations treaty bodies will meet in June to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations related to forced disappearances and children’s rights. Further, civil society can register this month to participate in the sessions of three treaty bodies that will meet in July to engage with States regarding their obligations related to discrimination against women, torture, and civil and political rights, respectively. The UN Human Rights Council and several of its working groups will be in session to review communications as well as thematic and country-specific reports. Four UN special procedures will conduct country visits focusing on torture, human rights defenders, enforced and involuntary disappearances, and the use of mercenaries, respectively.
Regionally, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) will be in session, and will hold public hearings during those sessions. Additionally, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) will hear one case related to the State’s obligation to provide a prisoner access to psychiatric care in a language that the prisoner understands and that is an official language of the State.
The UN treaty body sessions, the public hearings of the European Court, and the public hearings of the IACtHR, may be watched via UN Web TV, the European Court’s website, and the Inter-American Commission’s website or Vimeo, respectively. To view human rights bodies’ past and future activities, visit the IJRC’s Hearings & Sessions Calendar.
Committee on Enforced Disappearances 14th Session
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) will continue its 14th Session, which began on May 22 and ends on June 1, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland. In May, the CED reviewed the State reports of Albania, Austria, and Honduras to assess their implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). After reviewing the States’ reports and civil society alternative reports, the CED will at a later date issue concluding observations, noting challenges to and positive developments in implementing the Convention. Furthermore, the CED will consider and adopt lists of issues for Japan and Portugal.
According to the non-governmental organization (NGO) information note, civil society submissions, including alternative reports, should have been submitted by April 27, 2018. To attend the session, civil society members should have registered online through the Indico system by May 17, 2018. NGOs may attend the sessions with State delegations, but may not make statements during sessions with States under review. NGOs may organize informal meetings to present to Committee members. National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) not accredited by the Human Rights Council may also attend but not speak at the sessions; they too may hold informal meetings with Committee members. Civil society representatives who wished to confirm attendance at a closed meeting or an informal meeting should have contacted the CED Secretariat by May 8, 2018, at [email protected] and [email protected].
To view session documents, including the programme of work, State party reports, and information from civil society, visit the 14th Session webpage. For more information on the CED, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Committee on the Rights of the Child 78th Session & 80th Pre-Sessional Working Group
78th Session
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) will continue its 78th Session, which began on May 14 and ends on June 1, 2018, in Geneva, Switzerland. In May, the CRC reviewed the State reports of Angola, Argentina, Lesotho, Montenegro, and Norway to assess their implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The CRC reviewed State reports from Angola and Russia to assess their compliance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Additionally, the CRC reviewed State reports from Algeria and Angola to assess their implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. After reviewing the States’ reports and civil society’s alternative reports, the CRC will issue at a later date concluding observations, noting challenges to and positive developments in implementation of the Convention and its Optional Protocols.
Civil Society organizations wishing to attend the session must register online by June 1, 2018, through the Indico system. The 78th Session webpage lists the photo requirements for registration. To view documents for the CRC’s 78th Session, including information submitted by civil society, visit the 78th Session webpage.
80th Pre-Sessional Working Group
This month, the CRC will also hold its 80th Pre-Sessional Working Group from June 4 to June 8, 2018. According to the pre-sessional working group webpage, the CRC will consider the State reports of Bahrain, Belgium, Guinea, Italy, and Syria on their implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The CRC will also review a State report from the Czech Republic to assess its compliance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. At the pre-sessional working group meeting, the working group will also adopt lists of issues prior to reporting for Croatia and Hungary for these States to respond to before the full Committee reviews their report at a later session.
Civil society organizations interested in submitting written information to the 80th Pre-Sessional Working Group must have uploaded an electronic copy of their submissions to the CRC portal before March 1, 2018, and mailed five paper copies to the OHCHR Human Rights Treaties Division. For more information on civil society submissions, see the CRC’s Information for partners page.
To view documents for the CRC’s 80th Pre-Sessional Working Group, including State party reports, visit the 80th Pre-Sessional Working Group webpage. For more information on the CRC, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Treaty Bodies in Session Next Month
In July, the following treaty bodies will be in session:
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee) will hold its 70th Session from July 2 to July 20, 2018. Civil society organizations wanting to attend the session must register by July 20, 2018 through the Indico System.
The CEDAW Committee will also hold its 72nd Pre-Sessional Working Group from July 23 to July 27, 2018. Civil society organizations wanting to attend the session must register by July 27, 2018 on the Indico System. For more information on the CED, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
The Committee Against Torture (CAT) will hold its 64th Session from July 23 to August 10, 2018. Once registration opens, civil society organizations wanting to attend the session must register on the Indico System. For more information on the CAT, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
The Human Rights Committee will hold its 123rd Session from July 2 to July 27, 2018. Civil society organizations wanting to attend the session must register by June 22, 2018 through the Indico System. For more information on the Human Rights Committee, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Human Rights Council 38th Session
The United Nations Human Rights Council will hold its 38th Session in Geneva, Switzerland. The session will begin on June 18 and will end on July 6, 2018. According to the session agenda, the Human Rights Council will receive the annual report and other reports from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner’s office, and the UN Secretary General; final outcome reports from the Universal Periodic Review Working Group on specific States for the Council to adopt; and reports from UN special procedures mandate holders. The list of reports has yet to be released, but once available, will be posted on the session website.
The Human Rights Council will select individuals from a proposed list candidates to fill the UN special procedures mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; two members of the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises, respectively from African States and Eastern European States; and a member of the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination, from Western European and other States.
During the session, the Council will also convene several panel discussions on the human rights of women, the human rights of internally displaced persons, and on technical cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights on the theme “Human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals: enhancing human rights technical cooperation and capacity-building to contribute to the effective and inclusive implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Only NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) can be accredited to participate in the Human Rights Council’s sessions as observers. NGOs accredited as observers may attend and observe the Council’s proceedings that are open to NGOs; submit written statements; make oral interventions; participate in debates, dialogues, and discussions; and engage in side events. For more information on accreditation and participation in the Human Rights Council’s sessions, visit its page on NGO participation.
Relevant documents and other information, including the reports considered during the session, submissions from civil society, and the Council’s programme of work, will be available on the Human Rights Council’s 38th Session webpage prior to the session.
The Human Rights Council holds at least three regular sessions per year and may hold additional special sessions to address urgent human rights violations if one third of the Member States request it. The Council is an inter-governmental body of the United Nations, composed of 47 UN Member States that are elected by the UN General Assembly. The Human Rights Council is responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights and is tasked with addressing human rights violations and making recommendations. Its mandate covers all human rights issues. Among the mechanisms that facilitate the Human Rights Council’s mandate are the Universal Periodic Review, the Advisory Committee, and the Complaint Procedure.
For more information about the Human Rights Council, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Special Procedures
Various UN special procedures have activities scheduled for June. Two special rapporteurs and two working groups will conduct country visits this month.
The Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment will continue his visit to Ukraine which began May 28 and will end on June 9, 2018.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders will visit the Republic of Moldova from June 25 to June 29, 2018.
The Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances will visit Ukraine from June 11 to June 20, 2018.
The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination will visit Austria from June 21 to June 29, 2018.
During their country visits, these independent experts will assess both the overall human rights situation in the country and issues specific to their thematic focus. Experts will also meet with civil society, State officials, and national human rights institutions when they visit a country. Their findings are published later in reports addressed to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly. See OHCHR, Country and visits of Special Procedures. To view the full list of forthcoming country visits, visit the OHCHR website.
For more information on each special procedure, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Inter-American Court on Human Rights 124th Regular Session
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) will continue its 124th Session, which began on May 21 and ends on June 1, 2018 in San Jose, Costa Rica. In May, the IACtHR held public hearings on two individual complaints, a private hearing to monitor compliance with two judgments against Guatemala, and is scheduled to consider a request from Ecuador for an advisory opinion. [IACtHR Press Release (Spanish only)]
On May 24, the IACtHR held a public hearing on the case of Villaseñor Velarde et al v. Guatemala. The case involves Guatemala’s international responsibility for acts that allegedly threatened and intimidated María Eugenia Villaseñor because of her status as a judge, and for failing to investigate those acts and to identify and punish those responsible. In its merits report on the case, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) found that Guatemala was responsible for the violation of the rights to humane treatment (personal integrity), fair trial (due guarantees), and judicial protection under the American Convention on Human Rights. The IACHR submitted the case to the IACtHR on March 15, 2017 due to its finding that Guatemala has not complied with its recommendations. [IACtHR Press Release (Spanish only)]
On May 25, the IACtHR held a public hearing on the case of Munárriz Escobar et al v. Perú. The case involves the forced disappearance of Munárriz Escobar in 1999 after allegedly being detained at a police station. In its merits report on the case, the IACHR found that Peru violated the rights to recognition of juridical personality, to life, to humane treatment, to personal liberty, to a fair trial, and to judicial protection, under the American Convention on Human Rights. The IACHR submitted the case to the IACtHR on June 9, 2017 due to its finding that Peru has not complied with its recommendations. [IACtHR Press Release (Spanish only)]
The IACtHR has jurisdiction over cases brought against a Member State of the Organization of American States (OAS) that has accepted the Court’s jurisdiction as authorized by Article 62 of the American Convention on Human Rights. There are 20 OAS Member States that have opted into the IACtHR’s contentious jurisdiction, which are Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay. The contentious cases reviewed by the Court are always first processed by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The IACtHR also has authority to issue advisory opinions.
For more information on the IACtHR, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) will hold one Grand Chamber hearing this month.
On June 6, 2018, the ECtHR will hold a Grand Chamber hearing in the case of Rooman v. Belgium. See ECtHR, Calendar of Hearings. This case concerns the State’s failure to provide a prisoner with psychiatric care in a language that he could understand. [ECtHR Press Release] The applicant, a German speaker, alleged that his detention at a mental health facility where no one speaks German, when German is an official language of the State, violated both Article 3 (prohibition of degrading treatment) and Article 5 (liberty and security) of the European Convention on Human Rights. A chamber of the European Court found a violation of Article 3 but no violation of Article 5. [ECtHR Press Release; IJRC] The case was referred to the Grand Chamber in December 2017.
The ECtHR is a regional human rights judicial body based in Strasbourg, France. The Court has jurisdiction to decide complaints that allege violations of the European Convention on Human Rights and are submitted by individuals, or States, against States parties to the European Convention.
For a detailed explanation of the lower chamber’s judgment, visit IJRC’s News Room. For more information on the European Court, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.
Additional Information
For more information on UN treaty bodies; the Committee on Enforced Disappearances; the Committee on the Rights of the Child; the UN Human Rights Council; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; the Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; the African System; the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; the European Committee of Social Rights; the European Court of Human Rights; or for upcoming sessions and hearings, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.