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Summary: The following are brief summaries based on the press releases issued after the Special Procedures Country Visits 2008.Afghanistan
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS (4-15 May 2008)
Angola
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION (January-February 2008)
Argentina
INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ON THE EFFECT OF ECONOMIC REFORMS AND FOREIGN DEBT ON THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS (Postponed)
Canada
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RACISM (June 2008)
Central African Republic
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS (31 January - 8 February)
[07 February 2008] - The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Philip Alston, did not make any specific mention of child rights in the press release at the end of this country visit.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (January-February 2008)
[22 February 2008] - The Special Representative of the Secretary General, Walter Kälin, expressed concern at the widespread violations of human rights in the DRC, especially the forced recruitment of children by armed groups. This serves to create a situation of further displacement and makes it hard to envisage a durable solution of mass voluntary returns.
Denmark and Greenland
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE (2 - 9 May 2008)
[12 May 2008] - The Special Rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, reported that there were Initiatives to accommodate the special needs of children of imprisoned parents through establishing, for example, child-friendly visiting rooms in prisons, and considering the impact on children of a parent being taken into custody. Mr. Nowak will submit a detailed final report on the visit, including his conclusions and recommendations, to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Equatorial Guinea
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE (30 January - 8 February 2008)
[30 January 2008] - The Special Rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak, announced that his visit to Equatorial Guinea, which was scheduled to take place from 30 January to 8 February 2008, has been postponed at the Government's request at very short notice. He noted, however, with appreciation the assurances of the Government to receive him in April 2008.
Estonia
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE SALE OF CHILDREN (Postponed from 2007)
Greece
INDEPENDENT EXPERT ON MINORTY ISSUES (September 2008)
Guatemala
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (February 2008)
[20 February 2008] - The Special Representative of the Secretary General, Hina Jilani, concluded her visit to Guatemala. Her press release made no mention of child rights.
Guatemala
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON MIGRANTS (24 - 28 March 2008)
The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Mr Jorge Bustamante, carried out a mission to Guatemala from 24 to 28 March 2008. Mr Bustamante welcomed the efforts by the Government to facilitate the return to their families of non-accompanied minor migrants deported from Mexico and praised the work accomplished by the civil society.
India
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF (3-20 March 2008)
[20 March 2008] - The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, concluded her visit to India. Her press release made no mention of child rights.
Guatemala
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION (July 2008)
Guyana
INDEPENDENT EXPERT ON MINORITY ISSUES (July – August 2008)
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF (20-27 January 2008)
[28 January 2008] - The Special Rapporteur, Asma Jahangir, said that a major challenge, which needs to be addressed immediately, to avoid deterioration, is to effectively prohibit and sanction incitement to religious hatred. Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights clearly states that any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law. However, impunity for incitement is a concern. Any violence committed in the name of religion, whether violent acts by zealous settlers or even worse in the form of suicide bombings by militant Islamists, should be denounced, investigated and sanctioned. Furthermore, it is particularly worrying when children are being incited to express hatred toward those with a different religious affiliation.
Korea, Democratic People´s Republic of
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK) (19-24 January)
In his statement, the Special Rapporteur stressed that several human rights issues resulting from the Korean War remain to be resolved. These are the questions of missing persons and separated families. While welcoming the ROK’s ratification of the Refugee Convention, and the ROK’s signature of various treaties on human smuggling and trafficking, the Special Rapporteur stressed the need for a more comprehensive support system for those seeking refuge in the ROK, including longer term facilities to help them adapt to their new lives; social, educational, employment and psychological
back-up; more opportunities for family reunions.
Maldives
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION (7-11 April - postponed)
Mauritania
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED INTOLERANCE (20-24 January 2008)
The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Mr. Doudou Diène, visited Mauritania from 20 to 24 January 2008. Amongst other recommendations, the Rapporteur recommended that the Government adopt an educational strategy that aims to reinforce national unity.
Mauritania
WORKING GROUP ON ARBITRARY DETENTION (19 Feb - 3 March)
[12 May 2008] - The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded their visit to Mauritania. Their report made no mention of child rights.
Mexico
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TO VISIT MEXICO (5-8 February 2008)
Mexico
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON MIGRANTS (10-18 March 2008)
[15 March 2008] - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Jorge Bustamante, expressed his concern at reports of rampant impunity for instances of corruption, including bribery and extortion, violence against women, and trafficking in children. He is particularly concerned about the alarming reports of child labor and notes that special attention to non-accompanied minor migrants seems to pose a particular challenge for the Government of Mexico. The Special Rapporteur will present a report of the situation of the human rights of migrants in Mexico to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Moldova
SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS ON TORTURE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN - JOINT VISIT (4 - 11 July 2008)
[14th July 2008] - The Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, and the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Woman, Yakin Erturk, concluded their visit to Moldova. Their initial press release made no direct reference to children's rights.
Russian Federation
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGES AND LAWYERS (19-29 May 2008)
Spain
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND COUNTER TERRORISM (7-14 May)
[02 June 2008] - The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter Terrorism, Martin Scheinin, did not make any specific mention of child rights in the press release at the end of this country visit.
Saudi Arabia
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (4 - 13 February 2008)
[13 February 2008] - The Special Rapporteur, Prof. Yakin Ertürk, observed a number of positive developments in women's status. In this regard, the most noteworthy has been in the area of women's access to education, which has resulted in significant improvements in the literacy rates for women in a relatively short period of time. Women are enjoying free and close to full access to primary, secondary and tertiary education, where the ratio of girls attending school is equal to or higher than that of boys. In higher education, although women are still excluded from some fields, they are increasingly admitted to new fields of study, such as law, with the first students graduating this year.
Equally encouraging is the demystification of the taboo around violence against women in recent years. Notwithstanding the significance of these developments, the lack of women's autonomy and economic independence, practices surrounding divorce and child custody, the absence of a law criminalizing violence against women and inconsistencies in the application of laws and procedures continue to prevent many women from escaping abusive environments.
Sudan
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE SUDAN (27 February – 10 March 2008)
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Ms. Sima Samar, visited the country from 27 February to 10 March 2008. In Darfur, the Special Rapporteur was extremely disturbed by the critical human rights situation in the region and par¬ticularly the ongoing major military offensive in West Dar¬fur. She reported on incidents of raids and other attacks by the Sudanese army against certain towns in Darfur, which resulted in many deaths and massive displacement of the civilian population.
Sudan
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (May 2008)
Tajikistan
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (15-23 May 2008)
The Special Rapporteur, Yakin Erturk, concluded the country visit to Tajikistan, but made no specific mention of child rights in the press release.
Tanzania
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TOXIC WASTES (21-30 March 2008)
[30 January 2008] - The Special Rapporteur, Okechukwu Ibeanu, concluded his country visit to Tanzania, but made no specific mention of child rights in his press release.
United Kingdom
WORKING GROUP ON MERCENARIES (26-30 May 2008)
United States of America
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON RACISM (19 May – 6 June 2008)
United States of America
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS (6 - 26 June 2008)
Venezuela
SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (February 2008 - cancelled)
Further information
OHCHR website on Special Procedures
Summary of 2007 Special Procedures Country Visits
CRIN Information page on Special Procedures
CRIN Information page on the Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council reviews the mandate of the experts on sale of children
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/SpecialProcedure8thBulletin31March2008.pdf