E/C.12/GMB/CO/1
United Nations
Economic and Social Council
Distr.: General
20 March 2015
Original: English
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Concluding observations on the initial report of the Gambia*
1.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the initial
report of the Gambia on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/GMB/1) at its 6th meeting (see E/C.12/2015/SR.6), held
on 25 February 2015, and adopted the following concluding observations at its
20th meeting, on 6 March 2015.
A.
Introduction
2.
The Committee welcomes the initial report submitted by the State party despite the
considerable delay in its submission, and the supplementary information provided in the
State party’s common core document (HRI/CORE/GMB/2012). However it regrets the
State party’s failure to submit its written replies to the Committee’s list of issues.
3.
Noting the importance of the full engagement of States parties in the interactive
dialogue with the human rights treaty bodies (see General Assembly resolution 68/268,
adopted in April 2014), the Committee regrets that, in the absence of a delegation from the
State party, it was unable to follow its usual practice of considering the reports of State
parties in the presence of representatives of the State concerned. The State party informed
the Committee of its inability to send a delegation through a note verbale, received only
after the date scheduled for the initiation of the consideration of the State party’s report. In
accordance with rule 62, paragraph 3, of the Committee’s rules of procedure and its
established practice, the Committee proceeded with the examination of the report at the
time scheduled, even in the absence of a representative of the State party. The Committee
wishes to remind the State party that dialogue is an integral part of the consideration of the
report and provides a unique opportunity for the Committee and the State party to hold
constructive, in-depth discussions which, together with the report submitted by the State
party and other information received, allow the Committee to assess the progress made and
to indicate to the State party the areas where further efforts are needed. The Committee
wishes to draw the State party’s attention to the opportunity that it has missed to introduce
its report, present supplementary information or updates and provide the necessary
clarifications and answers to the questions put by Committee members. The Committee
deeply regrets that its task of evaluating the implementation of the Covenant in the State
party as objectively as possible was severely affected by the State party’s failure to attend
* Adopted by the Committee at its fifty-fourth session (23 February–6 March 2015).
GE.15-05998 (E)