THE UN ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS COMMITTEE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR WOMEN’S ISSUES, RIGHTS, JUSTICE.

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CESCR/Pages/CESCRIntro.aspx

This website for the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights gives extensive information on its operations and how to proceed to submit an NGO Report. Consideration of such NGO Reports can be highly significant for advocacy leverage and continued actions for women’s human rights.

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CESCR/Pages/CESCRIntro.aspx

Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its States parties. The Committee was established under ECOSOC Resolution 1985/17 of 28 May 1985 to carry out the monitoring functions assigned to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Part IV of the Covenant.

All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially within two years of accepting the Covenant and thereafter every five years. The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of “concluding observations”.

In addition to the reporting procedure, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights , which entered into force on 5th May 2013, provides the Committee competence to receive and consider communications from individuals claiming that their rights under the Covenant have been violated. The Committee may also, under certain circumstances, undertake inquiries on grave or systematic violations of any of the economic, social and cultural rights set forth in the Covenant, and consider inter-state complaints.

The Committee meets in Geneva and normally holds two sessions per year, consisting of a three-week plenary and a one-week pre-sessional working group.

The Committee also publishes its interpretation of the provisions of the Covenant, known as general comments.

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2016 EXPECTED CALENDER OF COUNTRY/REVIEWS BY THE UN TREATY BODY COMMITTEES – https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/MasterCalendar.aspx?Type=Session&Lang=En

For the Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, scroll down and look for CESCR.

DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTATION TO THE ESCR COMMITTEE – https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/MasterCalendar.aspx

EXAMPLES OF COUNTRY REVIEWS & DOCUMENTS FOR A RECENT SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE  ON ESCR – 57 Session (22 Feb 2016 – 04 Mar 2016)

https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1012&Lang=en

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https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CESCR/Pages/NGOs.aspx

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

Information for Civil Society Organisations

CESCR Committee Members

The CESCR Committee consists of 18 members, serving in their personal capacity.

Venue

The session and the meeting of the pre sessional working group of the Committee take place in Geneva at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Palais des Nations or in Palais Wilson.

Documentation

The reports of the States parties to be considered as well as other relevant documentation such as the lists of issues adopted by the pre-sessional working group, the States parties’ replies thereto, the submissions received by the Committee and the concluding observations are posted on the webpage of each session.

The provisional agenda as well as the tentative programme of work are also found on each session’s page.

Adoption of list of issues

At the meeting of the pre-sessional working groups, CESCR adopts lists of issues relating to the reports of States parties in advance of the dialogue. States parties are in turn expected to submit replies to the lists of issues.

Adoption of concluding observations and list of issues

Following the consideration of the States parties’ reports, CESCR adopts in a closed meeting concluding observations that will assist the States parties in the implementation of the Covenant. These concluding observations outline positive aspects, principal subjects of concern and the Committee’s recommendations on how to address challenges faced by the States parties.

Once adopted, the concluding observations are posted on the CESCR webpage under the relevant session.

Parallel reports for the Committee

The Committee welcomes written information, which should be as specific, reliable and objective as possible, from international, regional, national and local organizations as well as national human rights institutions. Parallel submissions prepared by coalitions, rather than individual organizations, and covering a broad range of economic, social and cultural rights are also encouraged.

All submissions to CESCR should:

Be submitted in English, French or Spanish. It is very useful if you could submit a report and/or summary translated into English. Please note that the UN Secretariat does not translate these reports.

Be transmitted to the CESCR Secretariat preferably 6 weeks and latest 3 weeks before the beginning of the session. The same deadline applies to the PSWG-submissions.

Be transmitted to the CESCR Secretariat electronically, and thereafter in 20 paper copies for the session and 7 paper copies for the pre-sessional working group by mail. OHCHR does not reproduce submissions.

Accreditation

Representatives of organizations who wish to attend the CESCR session or the meeting of the pre-session working group are requested to submit the full name of the organization, names of the representatives, and proposed dates of attendance to CESCR Secretariat by filling out the accreditation request form ten days before the beginning of the session or the pre-session. Arrangements will be made with the Accreditation Office for the issuance of the United Nations ground passes to enter United Nations premises. To claim the ground pass, all applicants are required present their passports or government-issued ID (with photo) at the security. For more information, please follow the procedure on the link below
https://unog.ch/80256EDD006B8954/(httpAssets)/99B1EE9BFC0FAC10C12577AF0035AC90/$file/Sample+letter+of+designation+GVA+E.pdf.

Please note that OHCHR is not in a position to send letters of invitations to attend CESCR sessions or assist with travel or accommodation arrangements.

Informal meetings and lunchtime briefings Organizations that have submitted reports to the Committee may make a brief oral presentation on the afternoon of the first Monday of the session and/or organize lunchtime briefings, typically from 13.45 to 14.45 pm, usually the day before the dialogue. The accommodation of request for lunchtime briefings will depend on the availability of the Committee members. Likewise, organizations which have submitted information for the meeting of the pre-sessional working group.

Please contact the CESCR Secretariat as soon as possible at the latest three weeks before the session or the pre-session to confirm attendance at the Monday briefing and/or to inform about proposed lunchtime briefings with the members of the Committee.

The dialogue between the Committee and States parties is held in public and is webcasted live at https://www.treatybodywebcast.org/

Further information

For more information on how to participate in the work of the Committee, please consult the information on working methods.