University of Minnesota




Compilation of Rules of Procedure Adopted by Human Rights Treaty Bodies (2001).


 

 

Note by the Secretariat

  In resolution 55/90, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to compile the rules of procedure of the human rights treaty bodies. This document was prepared pursuant to that request. It contains a compilation of the rules of procedure adopted, respectively, by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee against Torture, and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

 

CONTENTS

 

Chapter 

 

 I. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC,

 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

 

 II. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

 

 III. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE

 ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

 

 IV. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE

 ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN

 

 V. RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE AGAINST

 TORTURE

 

 VI. PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE

 ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD


Chapter I

 

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS*

 

Provisional rules of procedure adopted by the Committee at its third session (1989)

 


CONTENTS

 

Rule Page

 

PART ONE. GENERAL RULES

 

I. SESSIONS

 

 1. Duration and venue of the sessions ................................................................................. 8

 2. Dates of sessions ........................................................................................................... 8

  3. Notification of the opening date of sessions .................................................................... 8

 

II. AGENDA

 

  4. Provisional agenda for the sessions ............................................................................... 8

 5. Adoption of the agenda ................................................................................................. 9

 6. Revision of the agenda .................................................................................................. 9

 7. Transmission of the provisional agenda and

 basic documents ............................................................................................................ 9

  8. Organization of work  .................................................................................................... 9

 

III. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

 

  9. Members ...................................................................................................................... 9

 10. Term of office ............................................................................................................. 10

 11. Declaration of casual vacancies .................................................................................... 10

 12. Filling of casual vacancies ........................................................................................... 10

 13. Solemn declaration ...................................................................................................... 11

 

IV. OFFICERS

 

 14. Elections ..................................................................................................................... 11

 15. Term of office ............................................................................................................. 11

 16. Position of the Chairperson in relation to the Committee ............................................... 11

 17. Acting Chairperson ..................................................................................................... 11

 18. Powers and duties of the Acting Chairperson ............................................................... 12

 19. Replacement of officers ............................................................................................... 12

 

V. SECRETARIAT

 

 20. Duties of the Secretary‑General ................................................................................... 12

 21. Statements .................................................................................................................. 12

 22. Keeping the members informed ................................................................................... 12

 23. Financial implications of proposals ............................................................................... 13

 

 

 

CONTENTS (continued)

 

Rule Page

 

VI. LANGUAGES

 

 24. Official and working languages ..................................................................................... 13

 25. Interpretation .............................................................................................................. 13

 26. Languages of records .................................................................................................. 13

 27. Languages of formal decisions and official documents ................................................... 14

 

VII. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEETINGS

 

 28. Public and private meetings .........................................................................................  14

 29. Issue of communiqués concerning private meetings ....................................................... 14

 

VIII. RECORDS

 

 30. Summary records of the proceedings and corrections to them ....................................... 14

 

IX. DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS AND OTHER OFFICIAL

 DOCUMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE

 

 31. Distribution of official documents ................................................................................. 15

 

X. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

 

 32. Quorum ...................................................................................................................... 15

 33. Powers of the Chairperson .......................................................................................... 15

 34. Time limit for statements .............................................................................................. 15

 35. List of speakers ........................................................................................................... 16

 36. Points of order ............................................................................................................ 16

 37. Suspension or adjournment of meetings ........................................................................ 16

 38. Adjournment of debate ................................................................................................ 16

 39. Closure of debate ........................................................................................................ 17

 40. Order of motions ......................................................................................................... 17

 41. Submission of proposals .............................................................................................. 17

 42. Decisions on competence ............................................................................................ 17

 43. Withdrawal of motions ................................................................................................ 18

 44. Reconsideration of proposals ....................................................................................... 18

 


CONTENTS (continued)

 

Rule  Page

 

XI. VOTING

 

 45. Voting rights ................................................................................................................ 18

 46. Adoption of decisions .................................................................................................. 18

 47. Equally divided votes ................................................................................................... 18

 48. Method of voting ......................................................................................................... 19

 49. Conduct during voting and explanation of votes ............................................................ 19

 50. Division of proposals ................................................................................................... 19

 51. Order of voting on amendments ................................................................................... 19

 52. Order of voting on proposals ....................................................................................... 20

 

XII. ELECTIONS

 

 53. Methods of elections ................................................................................................... 20

 54. Conduct of elections when only one elective place is to be filled .................................... 20

 55. Conduct of elections when two or more elective places are to be filled .......................... 21

 

XIII. SUBSIDIARY BODIES

 

 56. Ad hoc subsidiary bodies ............................................................................................ 21

 

XIV. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

 

 57. Annual report .............................................................................................................. 21

 

PART TWO. RULES RELATING TO THE FUNCTIONS

 OF THE COMMITTEE

 

XV. REPORTS FROM STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLES 16

  AND 17 OF THE COVENANT

 

 58. Submission of reports .................................................................................................. 22

 59. Non‑submission of reports .......................................................................................... 22

 60. Form and content of reports ........................................................................................ 22

 61. Consideration of reports .............................................................................................. 23

 62. Attendance by States parties at examination of reports ................................................. 23

 63. Request for additional information ................................................................................ 23

 64. Suggestions and recommendations ............................................................................... 24

 65. General comments ....................................................................................................... 24

 


CONTENTS (continued)

 

Rule Page

 

  XVI. REPORTS FROM SPECIALIZED AGENCIES UNDER

  ARTICLE 18 OF THE COVENANT

 

 66. Submission of reports .................................................................................................. 24

 67. Consideration of reports .............................................................................................. 24

 68. Participation of specialized agencies ............................................................................. 25

 

XVII. OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

 69. Submission of information, documentation and written statements ................................. 25

 

PART THREE. INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS

 

XVIII. INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS

 

 70. Underlined headings .................................................................................................... 26

 71. Amendments ............................................................................................................... 26

 72. Approval of and modification by the Council ...............................................................  26

 

 


PART ONE. GENERAL RULES

 

I. SESSIONS

 

Duration and venue of the sessions

 

Rule 1

 

  The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”) shall meet annually for a period of up to three weeks, or as may be decided by the Economic and Social Council (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”) taking into account the number of reports to be examined by the Committee. Sessions of the Committee shall be held at Geneva or wherever the Council so decides.

 

Dates of sessions

 

Rule 2

 

  Sessions of the Committee shall be convened at dates decided by the Council in consultation with the Secretary‑General of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to as “the Secretary‑General”).

 

Notification of the opening date of sessions

 

Rule 3

 

  The Secretary‑General shall notify the members of the Committee of the date of the first meeting of each session.  Such notifications shall be sent at least six weeks in advance of the session.

 

II. AGENDA

 

Provisional agenda for the sessions

 

Rule 4

 

  The provisional agenda of each session shall be prepared by the Secretary‑General in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee and shall include:

 

  (a) Any item decided upon by the Committee at a previous session;

 

  (b) Any item proposed by the Council in fulfilment of its responsibilities under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Covenant”);

 

  (c) Any item proposed by the Chairperson of the Committee;

 

  (d) Any item proposed by a State party to the Covenant;

 

  (e) Any item proposed by a member of the Committee;

 

  (f) Any item proposed by the Secretary‑General.

 

Adoption of the agenda

 

Rule 5

 

  The first item on the provisional agenda of any session shall be the adoption of the agenda, except for the election of the officers when required under rule 14 of these rules.

 

Revision of the agenda

 

Rule 6

 

  During a session, the Committee may revise the agenda and may, as appropriate, add, delete or defer items.

 

Transmission of the provisional agenda and basic documents

 

Rule 7

 

  The provisional agenda and basic documents relating to items appearing thereon shall be transmitted to the members of the Committee by the Secretary‑General as early as possible.

 

Organization of work

 

Rule 8

 

  At the beginning of each session the Committee shall consider appropriate organizational matters, including the schedule of its meetings and the possibility of holding a general discussion on the measures adopted and the progress made in achieving the observance of the rights recognized in the Covenant.

 

III. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

 

Members

 

Rule 9

 

  Members of the Committee shall be the 18 experts elected by the Council in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of its resolution 1985/17.

 


Term of office

 

Rule 10

 

  The term of office of members elected to the Committee shall begin on 1 January following their election and expire on 31 December following the election of members that are to succeed them as members of the Committee.

 

Declaration of casual vacancies

 

Rule 11

 

1.  If, in the unanimous opinion of the other members, a member of the Committee has ceased to carry out his functions for any cause other than absence of a temporary character, the Chairperson of the Committee shall notify the Secretary‑General, who shall then declare the seat of that member to be vacant.

 

2.  In the event of the death or the resignation of a member of the Committee, the Chairperson shall immediately notify the Secretary‑General, who shall declare the seat vacant from the date of death or the date on which the resignation takes effect. The resignation of a member of the Committee shall be notified by the member in writing directly to the Chairperson or the Secretary‑General and action shall be taken to declare the seat vacant only after such notification has been received.

 

Filling of casual vacancies

 

Rule 12

 

1.  When a vacancy is declared in accordance with rule 11 of these rules and if the term of office of the member to be replaced does not expire within six months of the declaration of the vacancy, the Secretary‑General shall notify each of the States parties of the regional group to which the vacant seat in the Committee is allocated in accordance with paragraph (b) of Council resolution 1985/17. Those States parties may within two months submit nominations in accordance with the relevant provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of the same resolution.

 

2.  The Secretary‑General shall prepare a list in alphabetical order of the persons thus nominated and shall submit it to the Council. The Council shall hold the election to fill the vacancy in the Committee in accordance with the procedure established in paragraph (c) of its resolution 1985/17.  The election shall take place at the session of the Council following the deadline for the submission of nominations for the vacant seat.

 

3.  A member of the Committee elected to fill the vacancy declared in accordance with rule 11 of these rules shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the member who vacated the seat on the Committee.

 


Solemn declaration

 

Rule 13

 

  Before assuming his duties, each member of the Committee shall make the following solemn declaration in open Committee:

 

 “I solemnly undertake to discharge my duties as a member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights impartially and conscientiously.”

 

IV. OFFICERS

 

Elections

 

Rule 14

 

  The Committee shall elect from among its members a Chairperson, three Vice‑Chairpersons and a Rapporteur, with due regard for equitable geographical representation.

 

Term of office

 

Rule 15

 

  The officers of the Committee shall be elected for a term of two years. They shall be eligible for re‑election. None of them, however, may hold office if he or she ceases to be a member of the Committee.

 

Position of the Chairperson in relation to the Committee

 

Rule 16

 

  The Chairperson shall perform the functions conferred upon him by the rules of procedure and the decisions of the Committee.  In the exercise of those functions, the Chairperson shall remain under the authority of the Committee.

 

Acting Chairperson

 

Rule 17

 

  If during a session the Chairperson is unable to be present at a meeting or any part thereof, he or she shall designate one of the Vice‑Chairpersons to act in his or her place.

 


Powers and duties of the Acting Chairperson

 

Rule 18

 

  A Vice‑Chairperson acting as Chairperson shall have the same powers and duties as the Chairperson.

 

Replacement of officers

 

Rule 19

 

  If any of the officers of the Committee ceases to serve or declares inability to continue serving as a member of the Committee or for any reason is no longer able to act as an officer, a new officer shall be elected for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor.

 

V. SECRETARIAT

 

Duties of the Secretary‑General

 

Rule 20

 

1.  The secretariat of the Committee and of such subsidiary bodies as may be established by the Committee shall be provided by the Secretary‑General.

 

2.  The Secretary‑General shall provide the Committee with the necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of its functions, bearing in mind the need to give adequate publicity to its work.

 

Statements

 

Rule 21

 

  The Secretary‑General or his representative shall attend all meetings of the Committee and, subject to rule 33 of these rules, may make oral or written statements at meetings of the Committee or its subsidiary bodies.

 

Keeping the members informed

 

Rule 22

 

  The Secretary‑General shall be responsible for informing the members of the Committee without delay of any questions which may be brought before it for consideration.

 


Financial implications of proposals

 

Rule 23

 

  Before any proposal which involves expenditure is approved by the Committee or by any of its subsidiary bodies, the Secretary‑General shall prepare and circulate to the members of the Committee or subsidiary body, as early as possible, an estimate of the cost involved in the proposal. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to draw the attention of members to this estimate and to invite discussion on it when the proposal is considered by the Committee or subsidiary body.

 

VI. LANGUAGES

 

Official and working languages

 

Rule 24

 

  Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be the official languages of the Committee and English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be the working languages of the Committee.

 

Interpretation

 

Rule 25

 

1.  Statements made in an official language shall be interpreted into the other official languages.

 

2. A speaker may make a statement in a language other than an official language if he provides for interpretation into one of the official languages. Interpretation into the other official languages by the interpreters of the Secretariat may be based on the interpretation given in the first such language.

 

Languages of records

 

Rule 26

 

 Summary records of the meetings of the Committee shall be drawn up and distributed in English, French and Spanish.

 


Languages of formal decisions and official documents

 

Rule 27

 

 All formal decisions of the Committee to be submitted to the Council shall be made available in the official languages of the Council. All other official documents of the Committee shall be issued in the working languages and any of them may, if the Council so decides, be issued in all the official languages of the Council.

 

VII.  PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEETINGS

 

Public and private meetings

 

Rule 28

 

 The meetings of the Committee and its subsidiary bodies shall be held in public unless the Committee decides otherwise.

 

Issue of communiqués concerning private meetings

 

Rule 29

 

 At the close of each private meeting the Committee or its subsidiary body may issue a communiqué through the Secretary‑General for the use of the information media and the general public regarding the activities of the Committee at its closed meetings.

 

VIII.  RECORDS

 

Summary records of the proceedings and corrections to them

 

Rule 30

 

1. The Secretary‑General shall provide the Committee with summary records of its proceedings, which shall be made available to the Council at the same time as the report of the Committee.

 

2. Summary records are subject to correction to be submitted by participants in the meetings to the Secretariat in the language in which the summary record is issued. Corrections to the records of the meetings shall be consolidated in a single corrigendum to be issued shortly after the end of the session concerned.

 


  IX. DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS AND OTHER OFFICIAL

  DOCUMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE

 

Distribution of official documents

 

Rule 31

 

 Reports, formal decisions and all other official documents of the Committee shall be documents of general distribution unless the Committee decides otherwise.

 

X.  CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

 

Quorum

 

Rule 32

 

 Twelve members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

 

Powers of the Chairperson

 

Rule 33

 

 The Chairperson shall declare the opening and closing of each meeting of the Committee, direct the discussion, ensure observance of these rules, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. The Chairperson, subject to these rules, shall have control over the proceedings of the Committee and over the maintenance of order at its meetings. The Chairperson may, in the course of the discussion of an item, propose to the Committee the limitation of the time to be allowed to speakers, the limitation of the number of times each speaker may speak on any question and the closure of the list of speakers. He or she shall rule on points of order and shall also have the power to propose adjournment or closure of the debate or adjournment or suspension of a meeting.  Debate shall be confined to the question before the Committee, and the Chairperson may call a speaker to order if his or her remarks are not relevant to the subject under discussion.

 

Time limit for statements

 

Rule 34

 

 The Committee may limit the time allowed to each speaker on any question. When debate is limited and a speaker exceeds his allotted time, the Chairperson shall call him or her to order without delay.

 


List of speakers

 

Rule 35

 

 During the course of a debate, the Chairperson may announce the list of speakers and, with the consent of the Committee, declare the list closed. The Chairperson may, however, accord the right of reply to any member or representative if a statement delivered after the list is declared closed makes this desirable.  When the debate on an item is concluded because there are no other speakers, the Chairperson shall declare the debate closed.  Such closure shall have the same effect as closure by the consent of the Committee.

 

Points of order