Mannin: UN reporting compliance principles questioned
The Manx government has been asked why it does not follow best practice in relation to consultation and information dissemination when reporting to International bodies such as the United Nations. (See below):
«Mrs Mary Williams Chief Secretary Isle of Man Government Government Buildings Prospect Hill Douglas Isle of Man
13/02/10
Dear Mrs Williams,
Ref: United Nations – Human Rights Reporting – Conduits for Communication
The Isle of Man government has obligations under various United Nations Human Rights instruments it has ratified.
However, there seems to be little encouragement to either individuals or NGOs to participate in the reporting process and the Isle of Man has no defined conduit for such public participation.
This dereliction on the part of the Manx government has in the past been the subject of concern expressed by specific UN Rights bodies.
For example in its 2000 Report the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) said:
(Part 10): »The Committee is concerned, however, that insufficient efforts have been made to establish a more comprehensive coordinating mechanism to promote and implement the Convention and to ensure greater involvement of all government agencies working with and for children, as well as the wider civil society, in the process. Concern is also expressed that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were not included in the preparation of the report of the Isle of Man.«
The Committee also remarked:
(Part 11) »..the Isle of Man is encouraged to reinforce its efforts to include NGOs in the promotion, coordination and implementation of children's programmes. Efforts should also be made to ensure their participation in the preparation of the next periodic report of the Isle of Man.«
The CRC concluded by saying:
(Part 44) »The Committee recommends that, in the light of article 44, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the initial report and written replies presented by the State party be made widely available to the public at large and that the publication of the report be considered, along with the concluding observations adopted thereon by the Committee and the relevant summary records. Such a document should be widely distributed in order to generate debate and awareness of the Convention and its implementation and monitoring within the Government and the general public, including NGOs.«
However, in our view very little is done by the Manx Government to disseminate information on CRC or other UN reports and the active participation of individuals or NGOS is not encouraged in the reporting process.
The situation is not peculiar to this one UN body.
In addition to the UN on the several occasions the Celtic League have been invited by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture to meet with their team visiting the Island they have expressed bemusement at the failure of the Manx government to stimulate a consensus debate on rights issues with NGOs.
Can I ask when the Isle of Man government will adopt a more positive position on Rights reporting and engage constructively with individuals and NGOs by way of properly constituted conduits for communication?
Yours sincerely,
J B Moffatt (Mr) Director of Information Celtic League»
Related link:
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
13/02/10
■