On 23 November 2007, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights made public the text of concluding observations based on the results of consideration of the fifth periodical report of the Government of Ukraine on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The review of the Ukraine’s report by the experts of the UN Committee took place on 7-8 November 2007 at the 39 th session in Geneva. The Government of Ukraine was represented by the delegation encompassing representatives of seven ministries.
On 23 November 2007, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights made public the text of concluding observations based on the results of consideration of the fifth periodical report of the Government of Ukraine on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The review of the Ukraine’s report by the experts of the UN Committee took place on 7-8 November 2007 at the 39 th session in Geneva. The Government of Ukraine was represented by the delegation encompassing representatives of seven ministries.
On November 7, International Renaissance Foundation and Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union furnished the alternative to the government report regarding realization in Ukraine of economic, social and cultural rights. The report was prepared in cooperation with 15 non-government Ukrainian organizations.
The UN Committee’s concluding observations contain a long list of tasks for the Ukrainian Government, in particular the UN Committee: Expects that Ukraine will implement the judgment of the Constitutional Court of 9 July 2007 (case re social guarantees of citizens) and acknowledge as non complying with the Constitution the provision within the Law of Ukraine “On state budget for 2007” suspending the effect of regulations contemplating social guarantees.
Recommends to create preconditions for efficient judicial protection of economic, social and cultural rights, through the introduction of a right of direct individual claims to the Ukraine’s Constitutional Court; Demands to develop a comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation; make available for the Roma and the Crimean Tatars housing, water supply, gas and electricity supply, heating etc; Recommends to make available means for prevention of HIV/AIDS contamination as well as special therapy for HIV positive persons, in particular drug substitution therapy in penitentiary facilities.
The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights requests that the Government of Ukraine disseminate the concluding observations among all levels of society, particularly among government officials, judges, translate the text into Ukrainian and languages of national minorities (including the Roma language and Tatar language), inform the Committee about the measures taken to implement the proposals in the next periodic report.
The Committee also expects that non-government organizations and other representatives of civil society will be invited by the Government to participate in the discussion before the next periodic report will be brought for consideration to the Committee.
The text of concluding observations, state and alternative reports as well as other materials are available at the official UN Committee web-site: http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/cescrs39.htm
For further information call:
Voloymyr Yavorskyy Tel. +3 8 044 417 41 18 e-mail: yavorskyy@helsinki.org.ua
Liana Moroz Tel. +38 044 482 03 63 e-mail: moroz@irf.kiev.ua
