UN Human Rights Treaties

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND E/CN. 4/1279 5 January'1978 SOCIAL COUNCIL original: ENGLISH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Thirty-fourth session Item 19 of the provisional agenda STATUS OP THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS ON HITMAN RIGHTS Note "by the Secretary-General 1. At its thirty-third session, the Commission on Human Rights had before it a note by the Secretary-General (E/CN.4/1227) on the status of the International Covenant on Economic,"Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 2. In its resolution 2 (XXXIII) of 18 February 1977 "the Commission on Human Rights welcomed with deep satisfaction the entry into force of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant.on Civil and Political Rights and the Optional Protocol to the latter Covenant. The Commission called upon all States to take legislative or other measures for the realization of the human rights and fundamental freedoms provided for in the Covenants, invited the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to consider making the declaration provided for in article 41 of that Covenant and requested the Secretary-General to continue to inform the Commission on Human Rights at each session of any new developments with regard to ratification and implementation of the International Covenants on Human Rights and the Optional Protocol. The present note was prepared in response to .that request. 3. Before the adoption by the Commission of resolution 2(XXXIII), Guyana had ratified both Covenants, on 15 February 1977. Since then, the two Covenants were ratified by Panama on 8 March 1977, Poland on 18 March 1977 and Spain on 27 April 1977. Both Covenants were signed by the United “States of America on 5 October 1977. As a result, on 31 December 1977? 46 States had become parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and 44 States parties to the International. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the list of States that had signed, ratified or acceded to the Covenants, as we'll as the dates of their signature, ratification or accession, may be found in annexes I and II. 4. In addition, Panama, on 8 March 1977, ratified the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. As of 31 December. 1977 16 States parties, to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights had become parties to the Protocol? the list of States that had signed, ratified or acceded to the Protocol, as well as the dates of their signature, ratification or accession, may be found in annex III. GE.78-IO59 E/CN.4/1279 page 2 5. In paragraph 8 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1988 (LX) of 11 May 1976, the Council requested the Secretary-General, in co-operation with the specialized agencies concerned, to draw general guidelines for the reports to be submitted by the States parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Eights and specialized agencies. General guidelines. Were drawn accordingly and transmitted to all States parties. In his notes verbal’s transmitting these guidelines, the Secretary-General requested the States parties, in compliance with the above-mentioned Council resolution, to submit their reports on the first stage, concerning rights covered by articles 6 to 9 of the Covenant, by 1 September 1977. As at 31 December 1977, reports had been received from the following countries: Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Iran, Mongolia,' Norway, Philippine^,, Sweden, Tunisia, united Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 6. Reports submitted under the first stage of the programmer established by Economic and Social Council resolution 1988 (LX) of 11 flay 197.6 will be scheduled for consideration by the Council at its sixty-fourth session. Copies of the reports already received have been transmitted to the International . Labor Office in accordance with article 16, paragraph 2 (b), of the Covenant and paragraph 5 of the above-mentioned Council resolution. 7. The Human. Rights Committee established under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which came into force on 23 March 1976, held its first session at United Nations Headquarters from 21 March to 1 April 1977 and its ' second session at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 11 to 31 August 1977, During these two sessions, the Committee adopted most of its provisional rules of procedure. The Committee also considered six of the eleven reports submitted by States parties under article 40 of the Covenant. In this connation, the Committee adopted general guidelines regarding the form and contents of reports from States parties under that article. These guidelines are aimed at ensuring that reports are presented in a uniform manner in order to enable the Committee and the States parties to obtain a complete picture of the situation in each State as regards the implementation of the rights referred to in the Covenant. The Committee also dealt, in private meetings, with the communications before it under the Protocol and adopted decisions relevant to the procedure for determining the admissibility of these communications. 8. As at 31 December 1977, reports required under article 40 of the Covenant had been submitted by the following States parties; Chile, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Federal Republic of, Hungary, Iran, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Norway, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 9. The first annual report of the Human Rights Committee—'covering the work of its first and second sessions was submitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations at its thirty-second session, through the Economic and Social : Council, in accordance with article 45 of 'the Covenant. 1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-second Session, Supplement No. 44 and corrigendum (A/32/44 and Corral). E/CN.4/1279 page 3 10. The Economic and Social Council considered the report of the Committee at its 2087th meeting on 17 October 1977, during its resumed sixty-third session. The Council heard a statement by the Director of the Division of Human Rights. After some discussion 2/ the Council decided, at the suggestion of its President, to take note of the report of the Committee and transmit it to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session, together with a report on the financial implications of the Committee's work. 11. The Third Committee of the General Assembly considered the report of the Human Rights Committee under agenda item 81(a) at seven meetings held during the period from 17 October to 2 November 1977. 12. The Third Committee began its consideration of the report of the Human Rights Committee with an introductory statement by the Director of the Division of Human Rights. A statement was submitted by the Secretary-General on the financial implications of the work of the Human Rights Committee (A/C.3/32/L.11). 3/ 13. During the discussions that followed all speakers expressed their satisfaction with the report and praised the achievement of the Committee during its first two sessions. Many representatives noted with satisfaction the thoroughness and care with which it had approached its task and which, they maintained, would prove to have a great impact on the future role of the United Nations in the field of human rights. In this connation, a number of ideas were expressed with particular reference to the relationship between the Committee and the United Nations bodies concerned with human rights and to the role of the Economic and Social Council in relation to the Committee's report. 14. In its resolution 32/66, adopted on the recommendation of the Third Committee, the General Assembly noted with appreciation the report of the Committee and expressed its satisfaction at the serious manner in which the Committee was undertaking its functions. The Assembly also appreciated that the Committee strove for uniform standards in the implementation of the provisions of the Covenant and of the Optional Protocol thereto. The Secretary-General was requested to keep the Human Rights Committee informed of the activities of the Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. 15. The Human Rights Committee is scheduled to hold its third session from 16 January to 3 February 1978 at the United Nations Office at Geneva. A working group, composed of five members of the Committee, is scheduled to meet at Geneva from 9 to 13 January 1978, in order to make recommendations to the Committee regarding the fulfillment of the conditions of admissibility of communications submitted under the Protocol. 2/ For a summary of the statement and of the discussion, see E/SR.2087. 3/ For a summary of the discussion, see A/C.3/32/SR.30-33 and 37. ANNEX I E/CN.4/1279 Annex I page 1 List of the States which International have signed, ratified Covenant on Economic, Cultural Rights or acceded to Social and State Date of signature Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession Algeria 10 December 1968 Argentina 19 February 1968 Australia 18 December 1972 10 December 1975 Austria 10 December 1973 Barbados 5 January 1973 Belgium 10 December 1968 Bulgaria 8 October 1968 21 September 1970 Byelorussian Soviet Socialist. Republic 19 March 1968 12 November 1973 Canada 19 May 1976a/ Chile 16 September I969 10 February 1972 China Colombia 21 December 1966 29 October 1969 Costa Rica 19 December 1966 29 November 1968 Cyprus 9 January 1967 2 April 1969 Czechoslovakia 7 October 1968 23 December 1975 Denmark 20 March 1968 6 January 1972 Ecuador 29 September I967 6 March 1969 Egypt 4 August 1967 El Salvador 21 September 1967 Finland 11 October 1967 19 August 1975 German Democratic Republic 27 March 1973 8 November 1973 Germany, Federal Republic of 9 October 1968 17 December 1973 Guinea 28 February 1967 Guyana 22 August 1968 15 February 1977 _a/ Accession. E/CN.4/1279 Annex I page 2 State Date of signature Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession Honduras 19 December 1966 Hungary- 25 March 1969 17 January 1974 Iceland 30 December 1968 Iran 4 April 1968 24 June 1975 Iraq 18 February 1969 25 January 1971 Ireland 1 October 1973 Israel 19 December 1966 Italy 18 January 1967 Jamaica 19 December 1966 3 October 1975 Jordan 30 June 1972 28 May 1975 1 May 1972a/ 3 November 1972 Kenya Lebanon Liberia 18 April 1967 15 May 1970 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Luxembourg 26 November 1974 Madagascar 14 April 1970 22 September 1971 16 July 1974 Mali Malta 22 October 1968 12 December 1973 Mauritius Mongolia 5 June 1968 18 November 1974 Morocco 19 January 1977 Netherlands 25 June 1969 New Zealand 12 November 1968 Norway 20 March 1968 13 September 1972 Panama 27 July 1976 8 March 1977 Peru 11 August 1977 Philippines 19 December 1966 7 June 1974 Poland 2 March 1967 18 March 1977 a Accession. ANNEX II E/CN.4/1279 Annex II page 1 List of States which the International which have signed, ratified or acceded to Covenant on Civil and Political Rights State Date of receipt of the instrument of Date of ratification or signature accession Algeria 10 December 1968 Argentina 19 February 1968 Australia 18 December 1972 Austria 10 December 1973 Barbados 5 January 1973 Belgium 10 December 1968 Bulgaria 8 October 1968 21 September 1970 Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic 19 March 1968 12 November 1973 Canada 19 May 1976 Chile 16 September 1969 10 February 1972 China Colombia 21 December 1966 29 October 1969 Costa Rica 19 December 1966 29 November 1968 Cyprus 9 January 1967 2 April 1969 Czechos1ovakia 7 October 1968 23 December 1975 Denmark 20 March 1968 6 January 1972 Ecuador 29 September 1967 6 March 1969 Egypt 4 August 1967 El Salvador 21 September 1967 Finland 11 October 1967 19 August 1975 German Democratic Republic 27 March 1973 8 November 1973 Germany, Federal Republic of 9 October 1968 17 December 1973 Guinea 28 February 1967 AJ Accession. E/CN.4/1279 Annex II page 2 State Date of signature Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession Guyana 22 August 1968 15 February 1977 Honduras 19 December 1966 Hungary 25 March 1969 17 January 1974 Iceland 30 December 1968 Iran 4 April 1968 24 June 1975 Iraq 18 February 1969 25 January 1971 Ireland 1 October 1973 Israel 19 December 1966 Italy 18 January 1967 Jamaica 19 December 1966 3 October 1975 Jordan 30 June 1972 28 May 1975 1 May 1912 3 November 1972 Kenya Lebanon Liberia 18 April 1967 15 May 1970 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Luxembourg 26 November 1974 Madagascar 14 April 1970 22 September 1971 16 July 1974 12 December 1975 Mali Mauritius Mongolia 5 June 1968 18 November 1974 Morocco 19 January 1977 Netherlands 25 June 1969 New Zealand 12 November 1968 Norway 20 March 1968 13 September 1972 Panama 27 July 1976 8 March 1977 Peru 11 August 1977 Philippines 19 December 1966 a/ Accession. E/CN.4/1279 Annex II page 3 State Date of signature Date of receipt of ' the instrument of ratification or accession Poland 2 March 1967 18 March 1977 Portugal 7 October 1976 Romania 27 June 1968 9 December 1974 16 April 1975 Rwanda Senegal 6 July 1970 Spain 28 September 1976 27 April 1977 28 December 1976 Surinam Sweden 29 September 1967 6 December 1971 21 April 1969 Syrian Arab Republic Tunisia 30 April 1968 18 March 1969 Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic 20 March 1968 12 November 1973 Union of Soviet Republics ; Socialist 18 March 1968 16 October 1973 United Kingdom and Northern of Great Britain Ireland 16 September 1968 20 May 1976 11 June 1976a/ United Republic ; of Tanzania United States of America 5 October 1977 Uruguay 21 February 1967 1 April 1970 Venezuela 24 June 1969 Yugoslavia 8 August 1967 2 June 1971 1 November 1976 Zaire a/ Accession. ANNEX III E/CN.4/1279 Annex III page 1 List of States which Optional Protocol to have signed, ratified or ac the International Covenant Political Eights seeded to the on Civil and State Date of signature Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or accession Austria 10 December 1973 Barbados 5 January 1973 a/ Canada 19 May 1976 a/ China Colombia 21 December 1966 29 October 1969 Costa Rica 19 December 1966 29 November 1968 Cyprus 19 December 1966 Denmark 20 March 1968 6 January 1972 Ecuador 4 April 1968 6 March 1969 El Salvador 21 September 1967 Finland 11 December 1967 19 August 1975 Guinea 19 March 1975 Honduras 19 December 1966 Italy 30 April 1976 Jamaica 19 December 1966 3 October 1975 Madagascar 17 September I969 21 June 1971 Mauritius 12 December 1973 a/ Netherlands 25 June 1969 Norway 20 March 1968 13 September 1972 Panama 27 July 1976 8 March 1977 Peru 11 August 1977 a/ A cession. E/CN. 4/1279 Annex III page 2 State Date of signature - Date of receipt of the instrument of ratification or . accession Philippines 19 December 1966 Senegal Surinam 6 July 1970 28 December 1976 a/ Sweden 29 September 1967 6 December 1971 Uruguay 21 February 1967 1 April 1970 Venezuela Zaire 15 November 1976 1 November 1976 &/