Budget Cuts May Undercut the U.N.’s Human Rights Committees
Budget Cuts May Undercut the U.N.’s Human Rights Committees
Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, has told the committees that oversee rights treaties that they will probably need to cancel hearings planned for later this year
GENEVA United Nations’ human rights officials and other experts have criticized planned budget cuts by the international body that would force the cancellation of hearings to monitor government compliance with human rights standards While the savings would be modest, about $2 million, the cutbacks would have disproportionately serious consequences on the implementation of international human rights law said Rupert Colville, a spokesman for Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Bachelet has told the committees that oversee compliance with 10 core multilateral treaties that they will probably need to cancel hearings set for later this year Six of the committees likely to be affected oversee adherence to treaties that uphold children’s rights and combat civil and political repression, discrimination against women torture and racial discrimination The proposed cuts are the result of some member states delaying payments to the United Nations Ms. Bachelet’s office said
Human rights experts who serve on the committees which are known as treaty bodies, said they were appalled by the planned cuts.