Geneva 14 July 2009 – On 13 -14 July 2009, the UN Human Rights Committee examined the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in Tanzania.
On this occasion, the Southern Africa Human Rights NGO Network, the Legal and Human Rights Centre, the Tanganyika Law Society and the Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR Centre) submitted a report on the Human Rights situation in Tanzania.
This report highlights the particular concerns such as the death penalty, overcrowding in prisons, indigenous peoples and independence of NGOs.
More than 40 Albinos have been killed in the passed two years for reasons associated with superstition and witchcraft. The perpetrators must answer for their crimes. Experts recommended that more efforts should be put on public awareness to end heinous crimes.
Violence against women is a major concern. Marital rape and endemic female genital mutilations (FGM) demonstrate a deplorable attitude toward women. Additionally, inheritance of widows preoccupied the experts. Both the law and the customary practices violate Article 3 of the ICCPR.
The Human Rights Committee will issue its conclusions and recommendations on July 31st and will be available on www.ohchr.org or www.ccprcentre.org
Tanzania must implement these recommendations as rapidly as possible in order to comply with its international obligations and report back to the Committee by July 2010.
For more information: Centre for Civil and Political Rights –
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Background information
Check the NGO Report available online
The UN Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors State implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Committee meets in Geneva or New York and normally holds three sessions per year. All States parties to the ICCPR are obliged to submit regular reports to the Human Rights Committee on the implementation of the ICCPR’s provisions. States must report initially one year after acceding to the Covenant and thereafter at the Committee’s request (usually every four years). The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party available online at www.ccprcentre.org.
