Index March 2005
- 2005-03-01: day 6 of the op-icescr working group;
- 2005-03-03: day 8 of the op-icescr working group;
- 2005-03-04: day 9 of the op-icescr working group;
- 2005-03-05: day 10 of the op-icescr working group.
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day 10 of the op-icescr working group
Programme for the day: Delegations today considered the draft report, conclusions and recommendations. The goal was to adopt all of them by consensus.
Key issues arising: Consensus to adopt the revised conclusions and recommendations was not reached. In the afternoon, the Chair tabled a markedly revised set of conclusions and recommendations consisting of a three-line introductory paragraph describing what had happened, a four-line paragraph describing the outcomes (no consensus on whether to start drafting an Optional Protocol and so continued discussion required), and three recommendatory paragraphs focusing on the mandate (“to renew the mandate of the open-ended working group for a period of two years to consider options regarding the elaboration of an OP to ICESCR”), on inviting experts to future sessions of the working group, and requests for background information for the next session.
day 9 of the op-icescr working group
Programme for the day: Delegations met around 4pm today, breaking up round 6pm following an informal “private” meeting to discuss the recommendations. While NGOs were excluded from the room, we grouped at the entrance of the room and were able to observe the most of the delegates who have been involved in the discussions to date entered the meeting.
Key issues arising: Obviously, our capacity to provide an extensive report on the activities of the closed meeting is hampered somewhat.
However, five options were presented by the Chair and delegations were asked to state clearly for the record which position they would support.
day 8 of the op-icescr working group
Programme for the day: Delegations met for the afternoon session, ostensibly to consider the report of the Working Group. The report was introduced at 5.45pm, and the Chair has scheduled a meeting for 4pm Thursday. The bulk of the meeting was spent discussing the recommendations and conclusions.
Key issues arising: The gloves came off today, as delegations got down to political negotiations. While the comments were, for the most part, still veiled in the language of diplomacy, the mood of the room hardened into extremes.
day 6 of the op-icescr working group
Programme for the day: The discussion today focused on the question of benefits of an Optional Protocol to the ICESCR and the practicability of such a procedure, including the issue of complementarity with other procedures. A representative from the ILO provided information to delegations, and clarified how an OP to the ICESCR was different to the complaints procedure under the ILO (a key difference relates to standing, the OP to ICESCR would enable individual complaints to be submitted).