UN Human Rights Treaties

United Nations
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
26 March 1999
English
Original: English/French
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations
1999 session
Item 4 of the provisional agenda*
Review of quadrennial reports submitted by non-governmental
organizations in general and special consultative status with the
Economic and Social Council
Quadrennial reports, 1994–1997, submitted through the
Secretary-General pursuant to Economic and Social
Council resolution 1996/31
Note by the Secretary-General
Addendum
Contents
Page
1. International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Population Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3. Rehabilitation International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Salvation Army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5. Society of Comparative Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
* E/C.2/1999/1.
99-09851 (E) 260499 210599
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
2
1. International Council for Education of People with
Visual Impairment
(Special consultative status granted 1989)
Aim and purposes
The aim of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment
(ICEVI) is the equalization of educational opportunity for people with visual impairment
throughout the world, including those with low vision and with additional disability. The
foundation aims to achieve this goal through:
(a) Advocacy promoting the education of people with visual impairment through the
United Nations and its specialized agencies, as well as other international, regional and
national bodies;
(b) Encouraging the inclusion of professionals, parents and consumers in the
development of national educational plans;
(c) Cooperation with national and international NGOs in the field of visual
impairment;
(d) Providing professional and technical information through its network of
individuals and organizations;
(e) Facilitating the exchange of professional knowledge and information through
publications, seminars, workshops and conferences, including a quinquennial world
conference.
ICEVI’s regional chairpersons and regional committees provide focal points in eight
separate world regions. ICEVI’s emphasis is increasingly on regional activity.
ICEVI is at present registered as a foundation, and its constitution is under review.
ICEVI will aim as one of its priorities to renew and redefine its relationship with individuals
in the field.
ICEVI is funded through grants from international and national non-governmental
organizations.
ICEVI is affiliated to theWorld Blind Union (WBU), which has recognized consultative
status with the United Nations.
Participation in the work of the Council and associated bodies
Building on the success of itsWHO consultation seminar held at Bangkok in July 1992,
ICEVI has during the period under report completed a low vision kit as a joint venture
between theWHO programme for the prevention of blindness and the University of Melbourne
Department of Ophthalmology. This has been extensively field tested and evaluated through
ICEVI’s regions.
ICEVI participated in preparatory committee meetings, and with WBU provided input
for the World Summit for Social Development. The three main goals of the Copenhagen
Declaration, namely the eradication of absolute poverty, the enhancement of social integration,
and the promotion of full and productive employment are all of special relevance to people
with visual impairment.
ICEVI’s President presented a paper on the role of voluntary organizations to the
UNESCO Salamanca meeting. ICEVI supports strongly the resultant Salamanca statement.
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
3
ICEVI continues to seek support from its associated non-governmental organizations
for the jointly funded ICEVI and UNESCO project for specialist teacher training and the
expansion of educational programmes for children with visual impairment in the Frenchspeaking
countries ofWest Africa.
ICEVI has played an active role in the ESCAP Inter-Agency Committee for Asia and
the Pacific Subcommittee on Disability. Through active participation, ICEVI has assisted
in the development of the agenda for action, in conjunction with the Asian and Pacific Decade
of Disabled Persons.
Other activities
ICEVI has worked withWBU in a world forum on literacy of blind and visually impaired
people, and has produced a joint educational policy statement, thus harnessing the energy
and resources of the two organizations towards agreed goals.
Throughout the four-year period under consideration, ICEVI regions have developed
a wide range of activity. The following are examples of worldwide activity:
(a) Europe: a regular newsletter; a regional conference in 1995, with 340 participants
from 34 countries; and a seminar on specialized teacher training in 1997, with 42 participants
from 22 European countries;
(b) Asia: a regular newsletter; research on software for braille printing and the
development of a voice synthesizer; field testing of low vision assessment kit; regional
committee meetings; regional conference at Ahmedabad, India;
(c) Pacific: literacy project and eye care programmes in the Pacific islands.
2. Population Council
(Special consultative status granted 1972)
The Population Council, a non-profit non-governmental research organization
established in 1952, seeks to improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and
future generations around the world, and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable
balance between people and resources. The Council analyses population issues and trends;
conducts research in reproductive sciences; develops new contraceptives; works with public
and private agencies to improve the quality and outreach of family planning and reproductive
health services; helps Governments to design and implement effective population policies;
communicates the results of research in the population field to diverse audiences; and helps
to strengthen professional resources in developing countries through collaborative research
and programmes, technical exchange, awards and fellowships. The Population Council is
governed by a multinational board of trustees, and its New York headquarters supports a
global network of regional and country offices.
The Population Council maintains an active role as an organization with consultative
status to the Council not only through participation in conferences and lectures sponsored
by the functional commissions and expert bodies of the Council but also through cooperation
with the specialized agencies. From 1992–1995, representatives of the Population Council
have participated in numerous United Nations-related activities.
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
4
The President participated in the following seminars/sessions/meetings:
(a) “Giving voice to children: strengthening advocacy for child health and wellbeing”,
January 1993, Mount Kisco, New York, co-sponsored by UNICEF;
(b) “The United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions: new challenges for the
twenty-first century”, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, September 1993;
(c) Panel discussions on “Families in focus: myths and facts”, NGO Forum of the
Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, September 1995;
(d) Chaired International Vaccine Institute site selection committee on behalf of
UNDP, April–May 1994;
(e) United Nations University search committee, Tokyo, August 1994;
(f) UNICEF sanitation meeting, Harare, October 1994;
(g) UNFPA NGO advisory committee, New York, April 1995;
(h) Day of the African Child, United Nations Headquarters, June 1995;
(i) Special advisory group to the Executive Director of UNFPA, New York, July
1995;
(j) UNICEF management excellence programme, New York, November 1995;
(k) Pocantico Conference, February 1995;
(l) Special advisory group to the Executive Director of UNICEF, Bellagio, Italy,
March 1995.
The President gave the following speeches:
(a) Keynote address to the twelfth annual NGO/United Nations population
consultation, “Toward Cairo and beyond: organizing for the 1994 International Conference
on Population and Development”, New York, April 1993;
(b) “Explosions, eclipses and escapes: charting a course on global population issues”,
1993 Paul Hoffman lecture, UNDP, New York, June 1993;
(c) “The population factor and global economic development”, world development
issues hearings, United Nations, June 1994;
(d) Keynote address entitled “Safeguarding our future: looking back, moving forward,
creating the future we want”. Plenary session of International Conference on Population and
Development at Cairo, September, 1994.
The Population Council representative(s) participated in the following
seminars/meetings:
(a) Inter-agency group for safe motherhood (including UNFPA, UNICEF, IPPF,WHO
and World Bank), 1992;
(b) Expert group meeting on population growth and demographic structure, Paris,
1992;
(c) UNICEF/WHO breastfeeding indicators meeting, New York, 1992;
(d) WHO barrier method meeting, Geneva, 1993;
(e) UNFPA working group meetings on contraceptive requirements in developing
countries, 1993;
(f) WHO working group on African social research programme, Geneva, 1993;
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
5
(g) Preparatory Committee for NGO parallel ICPD activities at Cairo, New York,
1993;
(h) WHO symposium on contraceptive research and development for the year 2000
and beyond, Mexico City, 1993;
(i) Twelfth annual NGO/United Nations population consultation, New York City,
1993;
(j) WHO task force on social science research on reproductive health, Geneva, 1994;
(k) WHO meeting on improving contraceptive access, Geneva, 1994;
(l) WHO scientific group meeting on medical methods for inducing abortion, Geneva,
April 1994;
(m) Third session of the ICPD Preparatory Committee, April 1994;
(n) Meeting on safe motherhood, June 1994;
(o) Consultative group meeting on contraceptive requirements and logistics
management needs in developing countries in the 1990s, Geneva and Rosslyn, Virginia, 1994;
(p) UNICEF meeting, “The role of men and fathers”, June 1994;
(q) International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 1994;
(r) Safe motherhood workshop, UNICEF, New Delhi, March 1995;
(s) UNFPA expert group meeting on population and development, April 1995;
(t) WHO consultative meeting on reproductive health, New Delhi, May 1995;
(u) Meeting on safe motherhood, “Essential obstetric care”, June 1995;
(v) Intercountry consultation on the promotion of health of adolescent girls, September
1995;
(w) Preparatory meetings for United Nations Conference on Human Settlements
(Habitat II), July and September 1995;
(x) WHO regional workshop on reproductive health, New Delhi, October 1995;
(y) Tenth meeting of working group on contraceptive requirements and logistics
management needs, October 1995;
(z) WHO Subcommittee for Asia and the Pacific, Pune, India, October 1995;
(aa) UNFPA inter-agency collaboration working group, New Delhi, 1995;
(bb) Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995.
Population Council representative(s) acted as technical adviser or consultant in the
following areas:
(a) Consultant to UNFPA on copper T IUD specifications, New Delhi, 1992;
(b) WHO global programme on AIDS consultation on microbicides development,
November 1993;
(c) WHO workshop on reproductive health research in India, New Delhi, September
1994;
(d) WHO consultation on women’s and men’s perspectives on fertility regulation
methods and services, Geneva, 1995;
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
6
(e) UNICEF/Myanmar consultation on developing plan to evaluate national
HIV/AIDS prevention project;
(f) UNFPA expert consultation on a global framework for assessment and monitoring
of reproductive health, New York City, April 1995.
Population Council representative(s) collaborated with United Nations programmes
(memberships as follows, etc.):
(a) Member, Scientific and Technical AdvisoryGroup of theWHO’s safe motherhood
programme;
(b) Member, WHO/GPA international working group on vaginal microbicides;
(c) Member, inter-organization subcommittee on population and development in Asia
and the Pacific, regional inter-agency committee for Asia and the Pacific, and ESCAP;
(d) Member, WHO steering committee on social and behavioral research;
(e) Member, United Nations expert group on population and environment.
Population Council representative(s) presented the following papers:
(a) “Future population growth and global warming”, at a United Nations expert group
meeting on population, environment and development, 1992;
(b) “The role of public sector agencies in human reproduction research”, at an interagency
consultation on meeting the challenges of the 1990s in human reproduction research,
sponsored byWHO in Mexico City, 1993;
(c) “Access to family planning and maternal and child health services in developing
countries”, and “Trends in contraceptive prevalence in national sample surveys”, at a seminar
on population and social development goals, sponsored by UNFPA;
(d) “Quality of reproductive care”, conference on integrating family planning and
reproductive health care, UNFPA/WHO, Geneva, December 1994;
(e) “New contraceptive technology for men at the United States-Canada consultation
of the Independent Commission on Population and Quality of Life, sponsored by UNESCO
and UNFPA, Washington, 1994;
(f) “Essential obstetric care and the safe motherhood initiative in Mexico”, at the
technical inter-agency group of safe motherhood, UNICEF, New York, 31 May–2 June 1995;
(g) “Population growth scenarios and policy options”, at a United Nations University
conference on the sustainable future of the global system, Tokyo, October 1995;
(h) Draft discussion paper on the need for and feasibility of a global contraceptive
commodity fund, working group meeting on contraceptive requirements and logistics
management needs, February 1995.
Publications
The following are recent publications of the Population Council:
(a) “Report of the UNFPA programme review and strategy mission to Laos”, Laos,
1992;
(b) “Population growth and our caring capacity”, Population Council issues paper;
(c) “Reconsidering the rationale, scope and quality of family planning programs”;
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
7
(d) “Contraceptive use and commodity costs in developing countries, 1994–2005”,
UNFPA technical report;
(e) “Mediating factors linking population and the environment” in Population,
Environment and Development (United Nations publication, Sales No. 94.XIII.7);
(f) “Population and institutional change”, in International Social Science Journal,
No. 141.
Representation on WHO steering committees
The Population Council has been represented on the following committees:
(a) Task Force on Long-Acting Systemic Agents for Fertility Regulation, Geneva,
from 1992–1995;
(b) Task Force for Epidemiological Research on Reproductive Health, Geneva, from
1992–1993;
(c) Task Force on Vaccines for Fertility Regulation, Geneva, from 1992–1995;
(d) Task Force on Methods for the Regulation of Male Fertility, Long Beach,
California, 1995;
(e) Task Force for Social Science Research on Reproductive Health,
January–February 1995.
3. Rehabilitation International
(Special consultative status granted 1978)
Introductory statement
The purpose of Rehabilitation International (RI) shall be to promote the prevention of
disability, the rehabilitation of disabled people and the equalization of opportunities within
society on behalf of disabled people and their families throughout the world. Examples follow
to illustrate how RI carries out its global work. RI’s global network serves as a medium for
deliberation, exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills and experiences, and compilation and
dissemination of information. We publish the International Rehabilitation Review and an
internal newsletter Secretariat Headlines.
We also organize international and regional congresses, conferences, seminars and
courses of instruction; congresses occur every four years and regional conferences once or
twice a year. We work directly to assist member organizations in establishing and carrying
forward, in cooperation with governmental agencies or authorities, private enterprises and
organizations of disabled people, programmes for disability prevention, rehabilitation and
the equalization of opportunities on behalf of people with disabilities. A strong feature of our
work is to cooperate with other international organizations, both governmental and voluntary,
including organizations of people with disabilities, in order to consolidate strength for the
purpose of increasing the status of opportunities on behalf of people with disabilities.
RI is a federation of members, divided into six geographical regions of the world,
composed of national-level NGOs, government ministries and organizations of people with
disabilities. The membership is unique to each country. The years 1994–1997 have seen an
increase of 57 new organizations divided among the following regions: Africa (nine), Arab
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
8
(nine), Asia and the Pacific (five), Europe (nine), Latin America (four), North America (21).
RI averages a membership of 90 countries.
Participation in the work of the Council, its subsidiary bodies and/or conferences,
other United Nations meetings
Commission for Social Development and World Summit for Social Development
• Participated in the three Preparatory Committee meetings in January, August and
October 1994 in New York andMarch 1995 at Copenhagen in advance of the Summit;
statements submitted in February and August. RI 1994 activity was reported out in the
Review article “RI at the United Nations: collaborative partnerships”.
• Convened other disability NGOs in consultative status with the Council to form a
disability caucus in order to deliver joint statements at the PREPCOMS, January and
August 1994, as well as in March 1995. Reported in the Review.
• Sponsored a call to action within the RI global membership, resulting in 25 member
countries’ advocacy to include disability within the text of the Programme of Action
(February 1994 though February 1995). Reported in the Review.
• Sent a delegation composed of RI Executive Committee members to the Summit,
representing the regions of North America (Canada), Latin America (Brazil and Chile),
and Asia and the Pacific (New Zealand).
• Sponsored and organized with UNICEF on 9 March 1995 a workshop at the Summit’s
venue, the Bella Center, on rights of children with disabilities. Reported in a publication
issued in cooperation with UNICEF in English, French, and Spanish.
• Summit preparation and follow-up description has included significant RI publications
summarizing the organization’s actions and United Nations outcomes, reported in
Secretariat Headlines and the Review.
• Follow-up policy analysis published and distributed April 1995.
Fourth World Conference on Women
• Development of disability and women’s fact sheet for use by RI delegates to the NGO
segment of the Fourth World Conference on Women, August–September 1995.
• Developed and staffed a delegation composed of women with disabilities from China,
Hong Kong and the United States of America.
• Reported on outcomes of the Beijing Platform for Action at the RI Tenth Asia and
Pacific Conference, Jakarta 12–16 September 1995; reported in the Review.
• Follow-up to the Conference by RI has included sponsorship and organizing of an
international leadership forum for women with disabilities, 15–20 June 1997, at
Washington, D.C., in which there were 614 participants from 82 countries and
territories. RI, as a sponsor and organizer, joined with the United Nations Secretariat,
the ILO, and 20 United States government programmes and 25 corporate and non-profit
organizations. Reported in the Review.
• Internal RI follow-up to the Conference has included the formation by the RI World
Assembly, meeting as part of the Seoul International Conference on Disability in
September 1997, of a task force on women and girls, co-chaired by members of the RI
Executive Committee from Latin America (Brazil) and Asia and the Pacific (Australia).
This task force’s function is as an organizing focal point for further follow-up activities
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
9
to the Fourth World Conference that may be sponsored by the United Nations itself.
Reported in Secretariat Headlines.
• ESCAP statement, 29 September 1997, Seoul, Republic ofKorea, presented at a Pacific
meeting of senior officials to mark the mid-point of the Asian and Pacific Decade of
Disabled Persons. Statement presented to launch the RI task force and to insert language
into ESCAP’s official meeting report. Reported in Secretariat Headlines.
Cooperation with United Nations programmes, bodies and specialized agencies
Commission on Social Development: monitoring project on the implementation of the
Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
• RI secretariat provided staff and organizational support to RI representative to the panel
of experts, 1994–1997.
• RI’s Secretary-General, in observer status attended panel of expert meetings held in
New York in June 1995 and February 1996, and at Geneva in May 1997 in order to
provide the links between RI’s ongoing publications and conference programmes and
the work of the Special Rapporteur. Accordingly, RI programme organizers provided
visibility and support to the Special Rapporteur’s work in the following programmes:
Sixth RI European Conference, Budapest, September 1994; reported in the
Review;
Tenth RI Asia and Pacific Conference, Jakarta, September, 1995; reported in the
Review;
Eighteenth RI World Congress, Auckland, September 1996; reported in the
Review. The Special Rapporteur’s role was to stimulate country delegations to
consider how theymight press forward with implementation of the Rules within
their countries. The organization also informally convened the panel of expert
members in order to further the discussion of country-level implementation;
Seoul International Conference on Disability, September 1997; workshop on
Rules.
Participation in meetings of the Commission for Social Development
• Statement delivered by the RI Secretary-General on 4 February 1994.
• Thirty-fourth session, April 1995, to discuss the outcomes of the Summit. Reference
made to RI official work at the Summit in United Nations documents prepared for the
members. United Nations documents were distributed to RI worldwide membership.
Provided support for the implementation of the Standard Rules, participating in work
sessions with Commission members.
• Thirty-fifth session, statement delivered 25 February 1997, by RI President in order
to place on the official record of the Commission the points made by the disability NGOs
in our 21 February 1997 meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan; called for second
Standard Rules monitoring project term.
RI/UNICEF joint collaboration programme
Collaboration during the period under review consisted of publications edited by a
disabled woman for use as a resource to be of help to workers in the field and disabled people
at the grass-roots level. Workshops were sponsored to improve the visibility of disabled
children at the Summit and to build exposure for the study on the impact of armed conflict
on children.
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
10
One in Ten, volumes 14, 15, 16 and 17, were published and distributed in English,
French and Spanish between 1994 and 1997. Two workshops were held on the rights of the
disabled child (March 1995, Copenhagen) and the effects of armed conflict on children
(September 1996, Auckland).We have also published an international catalogue of selected
videos and films concerning children with disabilities. Attended the Third Regional
Consultation on the Impact ofArmed Conflict on Children at Abidjan, 7–10 November 1995,
sponsored by UNICEF, the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development
Agency.
International Labour Office
RI co-sponsored an international leadership forum for women with disabilities, in
cooperation with the ILO and the United Nations Secretariat.
World Bank
Designed and co-sponsored, with the World Bank providing financing, a unique
workshop on the theme “Investing in children in especially difficult circumstances: using
culture to promote health, social and economic development”, at the Tenth RI Asia and Pacific
Conference, Jakarta, September 1995. Reported in the Review.
4. Salvation Army
(Special consultative status granted 1947)
Introductory statement
The Salvation Army’s main objectives are the advancement of the Christian religion,
the advancement of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial
to society or the community of mankind as a whole. The Salvation Army, an international
movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on
the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by love for God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus
Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination.
Participation in United Nations meetings
The Salvation Army’s International headquarters representative made United Nations
contacts on 14 and 15 July 1997 at Geneva with the Commission on Human Rights concerning
Russian legislation on religious freedom, on 17 October 1997 at Geneva with the Executive
Committee of UNHCR; from 5 to 7 November 1997 in New York, with UNICEF, the
Department of Humanitarian Affairs, UNDP, the DPI/NGO weekly briefing; and an NGO
meeting related to United Nations environmental concerns in the area of climate change; and
on 8 November 1997 at Washington, D.C.
During 1994–1997, the representative to United Nations Headquarters in New York
attended various committee meetings associated with drug and substance abuse, ageing, youth,
UNICEF, human rights, family, religious non-governmental organizations, freedom of religion
or belief, the United Nations Association of the United States of America, and regular
briefings of the Department of Public Information. In 1994, elected to serve on the executive
committee of religious NGOs as Treasurer, attended the final meetings of the committee on
the family, was one of five NGOs asked to explore the possibility of a General Assembly
resolution for a ceasefire worldwide in 1995, culminating with the General Assembly
declaring 24–31 October 1995 as a week of peace, and attended the annual three-day
DPI/NGO conference. In 1995, attended various committee meetings dealing with input to
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
11
the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations; worked with Richard Butler, United Nations
Chair responsible for activities for the fiftieth anniversary; attended annual DPI/NGO
conference; arranged meeting between Salvation Army and the Ambassador of the Democratic
People’s Republic ofKorea. In 1996, attended fiftieth anniversary of UNICEF and the annual
DPI/NGO conference, arranged meetings of the Salvation Army with the President of the
General Assembly, a human rights Officer and Seth Winnick of the United States Mission
to the United Nations; served as moderator for the DPI/NGO conference on the theme
“Strengthening the General Assembly from a spiritual and religious perspective”. In 1997,
attended the three-day annual meeting of UNICEF’s Executive Board; attended dedication
of renovated United Nations Meditation Room made possible by contributions to the
Committee of Religious NGOs, of which the representative was treasurer; arranged meeting
for Salvation Army with Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 29 October.
The representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva attended meetings as follows:
attended CONGO meeting in 1994; attended International Abolitionist Federation meetings
in 1994–1996; attended forty-seventh and forty-eighth sessions ofUNHCR in 1996 and 1997;
attended NGO committee meetings on development in 1996; attended a seminar on
immigration, racismand racial discrimination in 1997; organized a meeting with the Human
Rights Committee on Russian religious freedom legislation in 1997; attended a conference
of NGOs in consultative status with the Council in 1996 and 1997; attended CONGO meeting
in 1997; attended committee meetings on partnership with NGOs at Geneva from 1994–1997.
The representative to the United Nations Office at Vienna attended meetings as follows:
in July 1994, made comments on the programme of action for the prevention and eradication
of the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, which was sent to the United
Nations as an intervention report; in 1994, attended committee meetings on the International
Year of the Family: in 1994, attended Crime and Criminal Justice Prevention meetings; in
1996, attended an international seminar on families and a full committee meeting on the
family; in 1997, attended the session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice; in 1994–1997, attended UNDCP/NGO meetings.
Cooperation with United Nations programmes and bodies and specialized agencies
The Salvation Army cooperated with the United Nations programmes and bodies and
specialized agencies as follows:
(a) Emergency and refugee services for Bosnia and Herzegovina projects and
programmes;
(b) 1993–1997: the Salvation Army in Jamaica was involved with WFP, through
which it received machines and food for three institutions: the William Chamberlain Men’s
Hostel, the HanburyChildrens Home and the School for the Blind. In 1998, Salvation Army’s
divisional commander from the Bahamas was made honorary liaison officer for UNHCR;
(c) In Ghana, during the UNFPA second country programme of assistance, the
Salvation Army through its extension training programme was involved in population and
family life education teaching, Salvation Army personnel were involved in adult literacy,
HIV/AIDS and family life education seminars during 1994–1996. In 1997, the Salvation Army
was involved in commencement of the third country programme on reproductive health. The
Salvation Army participated in the UNFPA third country programme in 1998, undertaking
to train local leaders on reproductive health, train 28 adult literacy instructors, with special
emphasis on reproductive health, and introduce family planning to eight communities in the
Upper Eastern region. Some 16,568,522 cedis were received from UNFPA for total Salvation
Army programme budget of US$ 42,000. In 1994, UNICEF accepted a proposal to fund the
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
12
Salvation Army Urban Aid Clinic for poor disadvantaged women and children in a
predominantlyMoslem slum area of Accra, providing maternity care and child welfare and
safe motherhood and sick child initiatives, with an average number of deliveries per month
of 200 (UNICEF provided funding for staff salaries and running costs). In 1995, UNICEF
provided three Salvation Army clinics with essential drugs for revolving drug scheme. In
1995, UNICEF provided six bicycles for our clinics to be used for home-based care visits.
In 1995–1997, in collaboration with UNHCR, UNFPA, WFP and WHO, the Salvation Army
Medical/Social Services Secretary was asked to be a member of a committee to address the
needs of several thousand Liberian refugees in Ghana. In partnership with UNICEF in 1996,
the Salvation Army accepted a proposal to fund its outreach clinic at Kokomba Market for
street girls and babies (UNICEF-funded salaries of three clinic staff, running costs, drugs
and medical supplies and a clinic vehicle). In 1995, an in-country programme director
requested the Salvation Army health projects coordinator to be a member of a task force. The
Medical/Social Services Department hosted a West African zonal conference on HIV/AIDS
in February 1998 (in-country directors for Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire acted as facilitators).
In February 1998, the Medical/Social Service Secretary and Extension Training Officer
attended a WHO workshop at Dakar;
(d) The Salvation Army in the Russian Federation/CIS countries:
(i) Georgia: In 1995, the Salvation Army revised its food distribution plans with
WFP, concentrating its services in the capital city of Tbilisi and the districts of Rustavi,
Gardabani andMarneuli. Coordinated with UNDP in the distribution of non-food relief
and in planning for non-food development projects. Worked with UNICEF to plan
services for street children at Tbilisi and coordinated with UNICEF in the delivery of
school supplies to orphanages in western and central Georgia. Worked with the United
Nations to serve 196,000 people per year during 1992–1997;
(ii) The Salvation Army in the Republic of Moldova worked with WFP in 1994 to
distribute food to 250,000 people;
(iii) Ukraine coordinates with United Nations programmes through a large-scale
Ukraine elders project, with funding from the United States of America;
(iv) From 1991, worked with the United Nations to set up a food distribution
programme at St. Petersburg and Moscow. Also active in AIDS response in St.
Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don. Coordination and consultation with UNAIDS
programme ongoing;
(e) Emergency and refugee services for Rwanda projects and programmes.
5. Society of Comparative Legislation
(Special consultative status granted 1950)
The Society of Comparative Legislation, an association formed under the law of 1901,
was founded in 1869. Its aims are to “study and compare the statutes and laws of different
countries and search for practical means of improving the different branches of the law”
(article 1 of its statutes). Its members are judicial and administrative magistrates, academics,
researchers, corporate lawyers and attorneys in France and abroad (50 countries, including
a number of new countries on every continent). The society holds colloquiums in France and
abroad on current issues. In recent years, in addition to the approximately 15 countries or
groups of countries with which it organizes regular meetings, it has established ties with
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
13
Viet Nam, Lebanon, India and Taiwan Province of China. It edits and publishes the Revue
internationale de droit comparé (quarterly) and edits other books (one or two per year). The
Society’s resources come from membership dues, State subsidies and the sale of its
publications. In addition, the Society is a member of a research team of the National Centre
for Scientific Research (France). It has consultative status with the United Nations, the
Council of Europe and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
George A. Bermann, a professor at Columbia University, New York, is its representative
to the United Nations in New York, and participates in those meetings to which he is invited.
The Society has links with ISPAC, and a representative was scheduled to participate
in the meeting “Responding to the challenges of transnational crime” (Courmayeur, 24 and
25 September 1998).
Yet the Society has been unable to meet the requirements of the United Nations as well
as it would have liked for several reasons: (a) very few United Nations documents inviting
participation in meetings have been received at Society headquarters; (b) when they were,
it was often too late to select a representative; (c) the association’s financial means are modest
and do not permit it to pay for long-distance travel for its representatives; (d) no survey or
questionnaire concerning the Society’s activities has been received recently, but it is ready
to replywhen the opportunity arises, as it has in the past; (e) all the United Nations documents
received are indexed, filed and made available to readers (researchers, teachers, practitioners,
students) at its extensive library in rue Saint-Guillaume.
The Society of Comparative Legislation, editor of the Revue internationale de droit
comparé, publishes articles concerning fields of particular interest to the United Nations,
for example: in 1994, “Le statut juridique des refugiés” and “La liberté religieuse”; in 1995,
“Libertés publiques et droits de l’homme en Finlande et en France”; in 1996, “Jérusalem:
réflexions d’ordre juridique sur son passé, son present et son futur”; in 1997, “Les bases
culturelles du juriste europeen” and “Conflits entre droits religieux et droit étatique chez
les musulmans dans les pays musulmans et en Europe”.
Society activities
Works published since 1994: L’entreprise et le droit comparé, 1995; Le droit comparé
aujourd’hui et demain, 1996; Actualités de la propriété dans les pays d’Europe centrale
et orientale et en Chine, 1998; Le droit nucléaire: du vingtième au vingt et unième siècle,
1998; La présomption d’innocence en droit comparé, due to appear in the autumn of 1998.
Colloquiums organized since 1994: in 1994: Different cultures and comparative law
(France-Japan, Tokyo-Kyushu, 23 May–3 June); Intellectual property, constitutional reforms
(France-Russian Federation, Paris-Orleans 9–15 June); Racial discrimination (France-
Romania, Bordeaux, 20–25 September); Role of doctrine and comparative law in the
formation of jurisprudence (France-Greece, Thessalonika, 4–9 October); The human body
(France-Czech Republic and Slovakia, Paris, 3–4 November); in 1995, Adjustment of Spanish
and French civil, criminal and administrative procedure to the European Convention on
Human Rights (Barcelona, 24 and 25 March); The emergence of a European common law
(France-Israel, Jerusalem, 24–27 April); Constitutional law and private, public and criminal
law (France-Poland, Warsaw, 14–18 June); Business law (France-China, Paris, Nice,
Strasbourg, 14–23 October); in 1996, The law of integration, bioethics and computer science
(France-Latin America, Venezuela, 27 February–1 March); General principles of law (France-
Israel, Paris, 6–9 May); Judicial responsibility: comparative aspects (France-Romania,
Bucharest, 4–8 June); Environmental protection (France-Greece, Orleans, 9–12 October);
Audio-visual communication (France-Germany, Poitiers, 28–31 October); The relationship
E/C.2/1999/2/Add.17
14
between constitutional law and other fields (France-Hungary, Budapest, 12–15 December);
in 1997,Major infrastructure projects (France-Viet Nam, Hanoi, 5–9 May); Social welfare
(France-China, Beijing, 1–10 October); Contemporary problems in real estate (France-Japan,
27 October–2 November); Impact of transformation on administration (France-Nordic
countries, 14–16 November).
Programme for 1998: Economic relations between France and Taiwan (France-Taiwan,
Paris, 10–13 October); Freedoms in public, economic and civil law (France-India, New Delhi,
16–20 November).
As far as possible, the Society of Comparative Legislation always takes into
consideration and attempts to participate in the main areas of activity of the United Nations.
It remains fully prepared to cooperate more closely with the United Nations.