United Nations Research Guide
This is a selective guide designed to assist researchers and students in gaining access to United Nations materials available within the library’s collections and databases, and via the Internet.
- incl. links to: UN System of Organizations - Background Information and History - Current Awareness - Indexes and Databases Directories - Statistical Information - Research Guides
Source:
Mitchell Memorial Library (Mississippi State University)

United Nations Conferences and Events

Official Web Site Locator for the United Nations System of Organizations
Official Classification of the United Nations System 
Find any U.N. organization quickly from this comprehensive list . This page contains over 100 links 
Includes links to : 
a) programmes of the United Nations; 
b) specialized agencies; 
c) autonomous organizations; 
d) convention secretariats; and 
e) the inter-agency coordination mechanism.

United Nations System

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

International Computing Centre (ICC)

International Labour Organization (ILO)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO (ITC)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

United Nations Interim Secretariat of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the (UNHCHR)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Office of the (UNHCR)

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD - see below)

World Health Organization (WHO)

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Source: United Nations Office at Geneva

The United Nations System
Over two dozen links to key United Nations sites
- from Global Policy Forum

The World Distribution of Household Wealth:
Pioneering Study Shows Richest Two Percent Own Half World Wealth (PDF file - 252K, 14 pages)
Press Release (incl. tables)
5 December 2006
A new study on The World Distribution of Household Wealth by the World Institute for Development Economics Research of the United Nations University (UNU-WIDER) was launched on Tuesday 5 December 2006. According to the study, the richest 2% of adults in the world own more than half of global household wealth. "The most comprehensive study of personal wealth ever undertaken also reports that the richest 1% of adults alone owned 40% of global assets in the year 2000, and that the richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of the world total. In contrast, the bottom half of the world adult population owned barely 1% of global wealth."

Complete report:

The World Distribution of Household Wealth (PDF file - 1.14MB, 70 pages)
James B. Davies, Susanna Sandstrom, Anthony Shorrocks, and Edward N. Wolff
5 December 2006
Department of Economics
University of Western Ontario

Source:
World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER)
"WIDER seeks to raise frontier issues and provide new and original insights and policy advice aimed at bosdting the economic and social development of the poorest nations."
- WIDER Publications

WIDER is part of:
United Nations University (UNU)
- incl. links to : About UNU * UNU System * Environment & Sustainable Development * Peace & Governance * Capacity Development * Online Learning
- UNU Publications

2005 World Summit
United Nations
14-16 September 2005
- includes links to : General Assembly - Information for the Media - Calendar of Events - UN 60 - Documents - Statements - News Centre - Webcast - Radio - Photos - Links - Un Home

Documents - incl. links to main documents, resolutions and related UN reports

UN General Assembly 60th Session

Source:
United Nations General Assembly

Google News search Results : "2005 world summit, united nations"
Google Web Search Results : "2005 world summit, united nations"
Source:
Google.ca

From the Prime Minister's Office:

Address by Prime Minister Paul Martin at the United Nations General Assembly
September 16, 2005
New York

Prime Minister Paul Martin attends UN 2005 World Summit
September 15, 2005
New York

61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights (March 14 - April 22, 2005)

Double standards on human rights 'undermining UN'
March 14 2005
The United Nations human rights commission, the UN's principal forum for promoting human rights, opens its annual six-week session today amid unprecedented criticism of its competence and credibility. For years human rights groups have complained of growing politicisation and double standards that have stifled debate and allowed countries responsible for egregious abuses to escape condemnation. (...) Kenneth Roth, head of New York-based Human Rights Watch, reckons that about half the commission's 53 members are there "not to promote human rights but to undermine them".
Source:
Financial Times - U.S.

Related links:

Materials for the 61st Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights
"Human Rights Watch presents its priorities and concerns to the 61st session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights."
March 11, 2005
Source:
Human Rights Watch

-------------------------------------------

Commission on Human Rights - 61st session (Geneva )
14 March-22 April 2005
"The United Nations Commission on Human Rights is the world’s foremost human rights forum. Established in 1946 to weave the international legal fabric that protects our fundamental rights and freedoms, its brief has expanded over time to allow it to respond to the whole range of human rights problems. The Commission continues to set standards to govern the conduct of States, but it also acts as a forum where countries large and small, non-governmental groups and human rights defenders from around the world can voice their concerns."
Source:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

-------------------------------------------

Commission on human rights holds sixty-first session at Palais des nations from 14 March to 22 April 2005
10 March 2005
"The principal human rights organ of the United Nations, the Commission on Human Rights, will conduct its annual six-week session for 2005 from 14 March to 22 April."
Source:
United Nations Office at Geneva

Millennium Development Goals - A World Bank Website

UN secretary general praises Canada as 'pillar' of the United Nations
Canadian Press
March 09, 2004
"OTTAWA (CP) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan praised Canada on Tuesday as a "pillar" of the United Nations and called on the government to continue fighting poverty, protecting the environment and fostering good governance around the world."
Source:
Canada.com

But...

Kofi’s Choice: Paul Martin and the Privatization of Development
March 09, 2004
"As Paul Martin continues to struggle with scandals and scathing criticism, a Liberal saviour of sorts has set foot on Canadian soil. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has begun his first official visit to the country, at the earnest invitation of our eager prime minister."
Source:
Paulmartintime

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor
News Bulletin
March 1, 2004
"United Nations - The Commission on the Private Sector and Development today presented its report—Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making Business Work for the Poor—to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, calling for targeted policy reforms and other initiatives that would spur growth in the local businesses that are critical to the eradication of poverty in the developing world. The Commission, co-chaired by Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada and Ernesto Zedillo, Mexico’s former president, was convened by the Secretary-General nine months ago in an effort to identify and address the legal, financial and structural obstacles blocking the expansion of the indigenous private sector in developing nations—especially in the poorest regions and communities in those countries."

Unleashing Entrepreneurship: Making business work for the poor
Complete Report
"In this report to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Commission focuses on how business can create domestic employment and wealth, free local entrepreneurial energies, and help achieve the Millennium Development Goals."
- incl. links to individual chapters:
Foreword, Highlights and other introductory pages
Chapter 1: Why the private sector is important in alleviating poverty
Chapter 2: Contraints on the private sector in developing countries
Chapter 3: Unleashing the potential of the private sector
Chapter 4: Engaging the private sector in development
Chapter 5: Recommended actions, bibliographic information
- also includes the full report in one single file and a press kit (Press release, highlights, framework)

Related U.N. Links:

Millennium Development Goals
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Related Canadian Links

Canada bolsters private sector in developing countries
News Release
March 1, 2004
"OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced two initiatives aimed at unleashing the power of the private sector to help reduce poverty in developing countries. The announcement was made in New York as the Prime Minister and his Co-Chair, former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, presented the report of the Commission on Private Sector and Development to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan."
- incl. background info about the work of the Commission on Private Sector and Development
Source:
Prime Minister's website

Notes for an address by Paul Martin Prime Minister of Canada and Co-chair of the Commission on the Private Sector and Development - Luncheon address
Speech by the Prime Minister
March 1, 2004
United Nations Headquarters, New York

Property rights first step in helping developing world: Economist Hernando de Soto
March 2004
"Property rights are the fundamental building blocks of prosperity in the developing world, according to Hernando de Soto, president of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy. In most developing countries – where there is an estimated $9.3 trillion of assets on which to build wealth – there is no way to identify and register property, says de Soto. Without the proper regulatory and legal systems to stimulate and protect investments – such as the sophisticated network of rules and regulations in countries such as Canada – people who live on this land can not build on their assets and as a result have trouble achieving economic growth, he says."
Source:
www.paulmartintimes.ca

Poverty and Human Rights Centre (Canada, International, United Nations, etc.)
Centre Directors: Gwen Brodsky, Shelagh Day
(formerly the Poverty and Human Rights Project)
"The Poverty and Human Rights Centre is committed to eradicating poverty and promoting social and economic equality through human rights.
The Library is a searchable database of materials related to social and economic rights. It includes texts of relevant international human rights treaties, Canadian and other laws, court decisions, legal briefs, and articles.
To use the library, go to buttons at the top of the page (topics, documents, resources).
Factum Library What's new
The Factum Library section contains factums, pleadings and other litigation documents from selected Canadian human rights cases. The materials are organized by case name, articles, and date."
- incl. links to : Recently added links - Contact Us - About the Centre - Centre Publications

Civil and Political Rights in British Columbia 2005
The Poverty and Human Rights Centre submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee
on the occasion of its review of Canada’s 5th report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
October 2005
Introduction
Full Report (PDF file - 140K, 48 pages)
Source:
Poverty and Human Rights Centre

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

-------------------------------------

First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)
- incl. links to : Information on the Decade - Reports and resolutions (current and previous sessions) - Bulletin on Poverty Eradication - Meetings/Events - more...

October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
"The United Nations General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed beginning in 1993. It noted that activities undertaken with respect to the Day will take into account those undertaken each 17 October by certain non-governmental organizations and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities on the eradication of poverty and destitution. The General Assembly also invited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to assist States, at their request, in organizing national activities for the observance of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, paying due attention to the specific problems of the destitute."
[General Assembly resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992]
- incl. links to messages from the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly, official press release, press briefing and conference, summary of events planned around the world and more...

Source:
United Nations
Economic and Social Development

Related UN Links:

UN News Centre
UN Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Development

-------------------------------------

International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty
15-16 November 2006
New York
"To mark the end of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, the Division of Social Policy and Development, DESA, in collaboration with United Nations agencies and civil society, is organising the International Forum on the Eradication of Poverty. The Forum aims to achieve two major objectives. First, it is intended to send a strong message on the importance of a continued and enhanced commitment to poverty eradication in the run-up to 2015. Second, the Forum will provide a valuable opportunity for forward-looking dialogue among stakeholders on the next steps over the next decade towards the realization of the universal goal of poverty eradication."
- the main page includes links to 14 UN partner organizations
- Background Notes
- Papers and Presentations

Source:
Economic and Social Development
[ Department of Economic and Social Affairs ]
[ United Nations ]

-------------------------------------

United Nations General Assembly:
Message from the Secretary-General on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
17 October 2004

First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, 1997-2006
"In December 1995, the General Assembly proclaimed the First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006). In December 1996, the General Assembly declared the theme for the Decade as a whole to be "Eradicating poverty is an ethical, social, political and economic imperative of humankind."

International Day for
the Eradication of Poverty
"The General Assembly declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed beginning in 1993."

Source:
United Nations
Economic and Social Development

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17, 2003

First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)
- incl. links to : Information on the Decade - Reports and resolutions (current and previous sessions) - Bulletin on Poverty Eradication - Meetings/Events - more...

Message from the UN Secretary-General on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, 17 October 2003

Eradication of world poverty will take ‘bold’ action – Secretary-General Kofi Annan
17 October 2003
From the UN News Centre
"United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called for “bold reforms” from developing nations, and “bold action” from developed countries, to end world poverty."

International Day for Eradication of Poverty
and World Food Day to be Observed at UN Headquarters on October 17, 2003
Press Release
October 14, 2003

Report of the Secretary-General:
Implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006)
and draft programme of action for the International Year of Microcredit, 2005 - PDF file (118K, 19 pages)
July 23, 2003
NOTE: Because of a firewall issue, I can't give you the direct URL for this file. However, if you click on the source link immediately below this note, you can scroll down through the list of documents until you find it (it's about halfway down the list). Click on the small "E" to the left of the title for the English PDF version of the report...
Source:
Documents prepared by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs
- incl. links to two dozen reports prepared for the General Assembly Second Committee (Economic and Financial)

Related Links:

UN News Centre
UN Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Development

FAO reports a setback in the war against hunger
But some countries made notable progress
News Release
November 25, 2003
"Berlin/Madrid/Rome/Paris/Washington, DC -- Hunger is on the rise again after falling steadily during the first half of the 1990s, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) annual hunger report."

The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2003
- Table of Contents and acknowledgements
- Flyer (PDF file - 91K, 4 pages)
- Complete report (PDF file - 369K, 40 pages)

Source:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Created in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has a mandate "to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations.(...) FAO has 183 member countries plus one member organization, the European Community. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - defined as the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life."

Canada and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

Don't Ignore UN Committee Recommendations on Human Rights, Canadian NGOs say
May 22, 2006
The Canadian government cannot ignore the recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a network of Canadian non-governmental organizations, said. The UN human rights body released its Concluding Observations on its review of Canada ’s record in implementing the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, one of the key United Nations human rights treaties it has signed.
Source:
National Anti-Poverty Organization

Canada could do so much better
Economic and social rights are not seen as fundamental human rights, says Vincent Calderhead
May 25, 2006
"(...) On Monday, the released its "concluding observations" regarding Canada's poor human rights record in the area of social and economic rights.
`Two weeks ago a large group of Canadian human rights advocates made submissions to [the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights] in Geneva as it reviewed Canada's compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. I was part of that group and while we came away from the hearings expecting criticism of Canada, the UN's final assessment was even more scathing and far-reaching than anticipated."
Source:
The Toronto Star

Complete report:

Concluding Observations of the Committee on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: CANADA (PDF file - 98K, 11 pages)
May 2006
- 73 recommendations by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to Canadian governments

Source:
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006) - includes links to Canadian governments' 4th and 5th Periodic Reports, to the UN'list of issues for Canada, to the submissions of dozens of Canadian non-governmental organizations and to the U.N. committee's concluding observations about Canada.

Related Links:

Canada's poor face `emergency': UN group says social programs lacking
Sharply critical on rights of aboriginals
May 23, 2006
"Welfare benefits in most provinces have dropped in value in the past 10 years and often amount to less than half of basic living costs, a UN watchdog group charged yesterday. The employment insurance program needs to be more accessible, minimum wages don't meet basic needs, and homelessness and inadequate housing amount to a "national emergency," says the UN body's report from Geneva."
Source:
The Toronto Star

Google News search Results:
"Concluding Observations", Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Canada"
Google Web Search Results:
"Concluding Observations", Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Canada"
Source:
Google.ca

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concludes 36th Session
Issues Concluding Observations on Reports of Monaco, Liechtenstein, Canada, Mexico, and Morocco
19 May 2006
"The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights concluded today its three-week spring session by adopting its concluding observations on the reports of Monaco, Liechtenstein, Canada, Mexico, and Morocco, which were considered during the session.
(...)
With regard to the fourth and fifth periodic reports of Canada, the Committee welcomed the relatively low level of unemployment in the State party, and the decrease in the proportion of persons living below the Low Income Cut Off. The Committee noted with particular concern that poverty rates remained very high among disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups such as Aboriginal peoples, African-Canadians, immigrants, persons with disabilities, youth, low-income women and single mothers. It urged the State party to re-examine its policies and practices towards the inherent rights and titles of Aboriginal peoples, to ensure that policies and practices do not result in extinguishment of those rights and titles."

Related Link:

8 May 2006
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
REVIEWS FOURTH AND FIFTH PERIODIC REPORTS OF CANADA

-----------------------------------------------------------------

UN Experts question Canada’s inaction on poverty, housing, aboriginal rights
May 8th, 2006
News Release
GENEVA - “Many of the issues our committee raised in 1993 and 1998 are unfortunately still live issues today,” said Ariranga Govindasamy Pillay, a member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights during the committee’s review of Canada’s performance. “ Years later, the situation appears to be unchanged, and in some respects worse. There is continuing homelessness and reliance on food banks, security of tenure is not still not enjoyed by tenants, child tax benefits are still clawed back, (...) the situation of aboriginal peoples, migrants and people with disabilities doesn’t seem to be improving.”
(...)
The Review began on Friday May 5th and will end today, May 8 th. Participating in the review process are Canadian NGOs, representing the First nations, African Canadians, women, poor people as well as legal experts. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is expected to submit its concluding observations on May 19th, 2006.

Source:
National Anti-Poverty Organization

Related Link:

United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [CESCR], 36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006)
- links to the complete collection of reports submitted by the governments appearing before the Committee during the 36th Session - including Canada, as well as all relevant submissions by non-governmental organizations and reports by the U.N.
Source:
United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNESCR) Website
[ United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ]

--------------------

Canada fails to meet economic and social rights obligations, United Nations told
Media advisory
April 28, 2006
OTTAWA - Canada is going backwards on its commitments to implement the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a network of Canadian non-governmental organizations say in presentations they will make to a UN Committee on May 1. Though Canada is one of the wealthiest nations in the world with low unemployment and record Federal budget surpluses, too many people are being denied the human rights guaranteed by the Covenant, such as the rights to an adequate standard of living, to social security, to housing, to food, to health, and fair working conditions including fair wages. (...) Over 25 representatives of non-governmental groups will be presenting their evidence to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which meets in Geneva beginning on May 1. (...) The Canadian government will appear before the Committee on May 5 and 8. The Committee is expected to issue its Concluding Observations including recommendations on what needs to be done to improve Canada's human rights compliance on or shortly after May 19.
Source:
CNW Group
("the nation’s number one resource for time-critical news and information from more than 10,000 sources coast to coast and around the world")

Why are Canadian NGOs using their skimpy budgets to send people to Geneva for the meetings of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, you ask?
1. Because Geneva is so beautiful at this time of year.
2. Because NGOs are exploiting poverty in Canada to increase their own budgets, especially the travelling to Switzerland part.
3. Because federal accountability to the Canadian public for welfare programs suffered a serious blow on April 1, 1996, when the Canada Assistance Plan was replaced by the Canada Health and Social Transfer as the vehicle for federal contributions to provincial-territorial welfare and social service spending [ See http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm]. Except for the Supreme Court, there is *no* forum in Canada where the federal government can be held accountable for its role in the evolution of our social assistance and social service programs to their current pitiful state. The same holds true for the provincial and territorial welfare authorities - there are no Canadian benchmarks against which they could be held accountable, and there's no recourse except for welfare appeals systems, and those tend to be pretty watered down compared with the appeals systems of "the good old days" (y'know, when Canada was more compassionate and caring...).
The correct answer's pretty obvious --- given the current state of affairs, NGOs have no choice but to hold our governments accountable on the international stage for non-compliance with Canadian commitments under international human rights covenants.

--------------------
Related Links:
--------------------

From the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Website

United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [CESCR], 36th Session (1 - 19 May 2006)
This is the best starting page if you want to see all of the Canadian Government and non-governmental submissions and related info from the Committee.
I highly recommend this site as an excellent source information on welfare and other social programs - if you take the time to read the submissions by both the governments and the NGOs, you'll find that the truth sometimes lies sort of halfway between the rosy "ain't-we-doing-such-a-dandy-job-on-human-rights" perspective of Canadian governments and the "wheels-are-falling-off-Canadian-social-policy" assertions of some advocacy groups.
- Click on the link above for links to Canadian governments' 4th and 5th Periodic Reports and to the submissions of the following Canadian non-governmental organizations (as at April 30/06):
African Canadian Legal Clinic * Alternatives North * Amnesty International * Assembly of First Nations * Canadian Bar Association * Canadian Council for Refugees * Canadian Human Rights Commission * Canadian Human Rights Commission: A matter of Rights * Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action and National Association of Women and the Law * First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada * Forward * Global initiative to end all corporal punishment of children * Justice for girls * Kairos * Ligue des Droits et Libertés * Low Income Families Together * Lubicon Lake Indian Nation * National Anti-Poverty Organization * Native Women’s Association of Canada * Organic Agriculture Protection Fund * Poverty and Human Rights Center * Together for Human Rights

Compilation of NGO submissions, March 31/06 (PDF file - 474K, 82 pages)
- this a good overview if you don't have time to read the two dozen submissions above, bearing in mind that some submissions arrived too late for inclusion in the compilation.

CESCR Day of General Discussion on “The Right to Social Security”
15 May 2006
During its 36th session (1-19 May 2006), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will host a Day of General Discussion (DGD) on the Right to Social Security (Article 9 of the Covenant). The aim of the DGD is to foster a deeper understanding of the contents and implications of article 9 of the Covenant. (...) The DGD will help the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to elaborate a General Comment on this right. This will in turn enable the Committee to better monitor the right to social security and assist States parties to the Covenant implement their obligations under article 9 of the Covenant."

-----------------

The "sample" links below to submissions of the National Anti-Poverty Organization and Amnesty International Canada are only two of the almost two dozen submissions to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).

From the National Anti-Poverty Organization:

Canada not living up to its human rights commitments,
NAPO tells the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PDF file - 234K, 16 pages)
April 18, 2006
The National Anti-Poverty Organization will be presenting a report to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva on May 1, 2006 on areas where Canada is not living up to its obligations as a signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. NAPO points out that there are problems with Canada's respecting the right to work freely chosen, the right to just and favourable conditions of work including fair wages, the right to social security and the right to an adequate standard of living. See full NAPO submission...

Human Rights and Poverty
- includes background info on the process involved in Reporting Poverty to the United Nations and an invitation for you to Tell your story to the United Nations, as well as many other resources to help explain why NAPO and many other non-governmental groups send representatives to Geneva for this important event.

From Amnesty International Canada:

Canada must do more to protect economic, social, and cultural rights, says Amnesty International
27 April 2006
News Release
The record of Canada on economic, social, and cultural rights will be under scrutiny by the United Nations in Geneva on 5 and 8 May. As part of a regular review by the UN the Canadian government must show what it is doing and what more can be done. Amnesty International, and other activist organizations, have submitted to the UN Committee a number of concerns and recommendations about Canada’s approach. It Is A Matter Of Rights, from Amnesty International highlights a number of areas that need immediate attention."

IT IS A MATTER OF RIGHTS: Improving the protection of economic,
social and cultural rights in Canada (PDF file - 230K, 27 pages)
Briefing to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the occasion of the review of Canada’s fourth and fifth periodic reports concerning rights referred in the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Submitted March 27, 2006

-----------------

From Human Rights Program of Canadian Heritage:

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Fifth Report of Canada
Covering the period September 1999 – December 2004

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Fourth Report of Canada
Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Third Report of Canada
Covering various periods (1987, 1992, 1994)

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- incl. links to six other relevant texts

Canada's Reports on UN Human Rights Treaties and Related Official Documents
- links to dozens of reports and publications

-----------------

The Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)
and economic, social and cultural rights education
"In addition to using provincial human rights legislation to forward housing equality, CERA works on a national and international level promoting social and economic rights, such as the right to housing and an adequate standard of living. Specifically, we work to promote interpretations of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms that protect the rights of poor people and are consistent with Canada's international human rights obligations."

- includes over a dozen links to relevant documents (by govt, NGO, and UN), either prepared for the upcoming (May 2006) meeting of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Review of Canada or presented as contextual/historical information. Recommended reading!

Source:
Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Human Rights & Poverty- Get Involved!
An initiative of the National Anti-Poverty Organization
- incl. links to : Using human rights to fight poverty (an overview) * Core human rights concepts * Reporting Poverty to the United Nations * Tell your story to the United Nations * Right to adequate housing is at issue in Inter-American Commission on Human Rights hearings * Human Rights Links

- excellent collection of resources related to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

"The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states that every person has the right to an adequate standard of living, including the right to be free from hunger, to have a job, be paid fair wages and get an education. Canada is a party to the Covenant which requires countries to turn these rights into realities. Yet poverty in Canada continues.

Governments are required to report every 5 years on how they are implementing the Covenant to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which has been set up by the United Nations to monitor how governments are living up to their international human rights commitments. Canada sent in its most recent Fourth Report in October 2004 and will appear before the Committee to answer questions in the Fall of 2006.

The National Anti-Poverty Organization, in cooperation with other Canadian non-governmental organizations, is going to submit an alternative report on poverty in Canada to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights because we don't think the government report presents a full or accurate picture of the extent of poverty in Canada or the way in which government policies at both the federal and provincial/territorial level violate provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

NAPO invites your participation in developing an Alternative Report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Canada's implementation of the Covenant. NAPO will be in Geneva on May 1st to present before the Committee."

Use Your Rights to Fight Poverty!
A Workshop* on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
- the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO), Low Income Families Together (LIFT) and KAIROS are conducting workshops across Canada to gather evidence for the Alternative Report.
* Personal note: I attended a NAPO/KAIROS/LIFT ICESCR workshop in Ottawa early in 2006, and I appreciated learning some of the finer points of the process surrounding the country reports to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

I strongly support the work of the groups involved in the preparation and presentation of the Alternative Report.

Read the latest Canada reports below - they contain a section for the federal government and one for each province and territory, and they all offer valuable nuggets of information on welfare reforms. To get the full picture, though, you should read both the government paper and the NGO Alternative Report.

Latest Canada Reports on the International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights:

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Fourth Report of Canada
Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Fifth Report of Canada
Covering the period September 1999 – December 2004

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Third Report of Canada
Covering various periods (1987, 1992, 1994)

Related Links (partners)

Low Income Families Together (LIFT)
"Low Income Families Together began in response to Ontario's review of social assistance during 1986, when a group of single mothers came together to make suggestions for reform of the system. This group later expanded its membership and the scope of its activities to become a voice and an active group for low income families in the province. (...) LIFT staff and members continue to develop information and resources and make them available to our members and other low income people in Metro Toronto and throughout Ontario."

KAIROS
"KAIROS unites churches and religious organizations in a faithful ecumenical response to the call to "do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). We deliberate on issues of common concern, advocate for social change and join with people of faith and goodwill in action for social transformation."
- incl. links to : Home - Who we are - Programme Areas - Take Action! - Resources - Network and Events - Media Room - Support Us - Aboriginal - Anti-poverty - Corporate - Ecology - Education - Economic - Human Rights - Partners - Refugees

National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO)
The National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) is a non-profit, non partisan organization that represents the interests of low-income people in Canada.
NOTE: Highly recommended! If you haven't visited the NAPO site in awhile, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of quality content that you'll find there.
- incl. links to : News/Commentary - Action/Campaigns - Living wage - Youth Initiative - Human rights - Issues - Popular Education - Events - About NAPO - NAPO News - Subscribe - Join/Donate - Contact NAPO - Resources - Need help? - Jobs - Feedback - Links

- Action/Campaigns - incl. info about the following campaigns : Make the Minimum Wage a Living Wage * Our Future Now! End Youth Poverty * Stop the Clawback of the NCBS * Make Poverty History * End Child Poverty * NAPO Action Campaigns

- Issues - incl. Child Poverty * Federal Budget * Guaranteed Adequate Income * Health and Poverty * Housing and Homelessness * Human Rights * Minimum Wage/Living Wage * Panhandling * Poverty in Canada * Poverty Measures * Poverty Reduction Strategies * Race and Poverty * Social Assistance * Social Transfer * Women and Poverty * Work and Unemployment * Youth Poverty

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee : Canada
Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant
2 November 2005
"The Human Rights Committee considered the fifth periodic report of Canada (CCPR/C/CAN/2004/5) at its 2312th and 2313th meetings (CCPR/C/SR.2312-2313), on 17 and 18 October 2005, and adopted the following concluding observations at its 2328th and 2330th meetings (CCPR/C/SR.2328 and 2330), on 27 and 28 October 2005."

Related Links from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

Human Rights Committee Opens 85th Session
Press Release
17 October 2005
"The Human Rights Committee, which reviews the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its 153 States parties, this morning opened its eighty-fifth session, hearing an address by a Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, following which it adopted its agenda and programme of work."

Human Rights Committee - "Monitoring civil and political rights"
The Human Rights Committee is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by its State parties.

Human Rights Committee
85th Session (17 October - 3 November 2005)
Geneva

Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant
Fifth periodic report : CANADA (PDF file - 607K, 154 pages)
[27 October 2004]
"The present report outlines key measures adopted in Canada from 1995 to April 2004 to enhance its implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Covenant). The report is focused primarily on issues raised by the Human Rights Committee in its Concluding Observations, issued after review of Canada’s Fourth Report in 1999, and on significant developments and case law since this review.
NOTE: I can't offer you a direct link to this file because the link is broken when I test it immediately after creating it. (Some weird linking protocol...)
Go to the Human Rights Committee page ( http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/hrcs85.htm ), and then click the "E" under State Reports next to the word Canada to open the 154-page report (PDF file - 607K) which is dated 27 October 2004

List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration
of the fifth periodic report of CANADA
July 25, 2005

Related Links from the website of the Human Rights Program of Canadian Heritage :

Canada's Fifth Report on the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Submitted to the UN on August 17, 2005
HTML Format
PDF Format (572K, 149 pages)
Source:
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- incl. links to six other relevant texts

Canada's Third Report on The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1997)

Canada's Reports on UN Human Rights Treaties and Related Official Documents
- links to dozens of reports and publications

--------------------------

What's New from the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation:

Submission by the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues to the
Human Rights Committee on the Occasion of the Review of Canada's Fifth Periodic Report Under the ICCPR (Word File - 121K, 22 pages)
(October 17 & 18, 2005)
"The protection accorded to the poorest of the poor of the right to life has been degraded and rendered to an 'abysmal' and 'shabby' level and the discriminatory consequences of inadequate social assistance, minimum wage and other social programs on women, aboriginal people, people with disabilities, newcomers, racialized minorities and other groups have not been adequately addressed in Canada."
[Excerpt, pp. 20]

Submission of the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO) and the Centre for Equal Rights in Accommodation (CERA)
to the fifth periodic review of Canada by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, October 2005 - (Word file - 173K, 19 pages)
October 17, 2005
The submission by ACTO and CERA addresses four issues:
"1. The failure of residential tenancies legislation to require a hearing before eviction, and to require consideration of the tenant's vulnerability to homelessness;
2. The failure of governments to reverse cuts in social assistance levels, and to address the discriminatory impact of inadequate shelter allowances;
3. The failure of the federal government, and several provincial governments, to remove the statutory authority of human rights commissions to veto the right of a claimant to a hearing before an adjudicative tribunal; and
4. The failure of Canadian governments to take positive measures, including the development of a national affordable housing strategy, to address the on-going crisis of homelessness."
[Excerpt, p. 3]

Source:
The Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA)
and economic, social and cultural rights education

-------------------------------------

Media release from the National Working Group on Women and Housing (Word file - 32K, 2 pages)
October 19, 2005

Related Link:

United Nations Regional Consultation on Women and the Right to Adequate Housing in North America
with Miloon Kothari, UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
October 15-17, 2005
From the website of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign
("...committed to uniting the poor across color lines as the leadership base for a broad movement to abolish poverty")

-------------------------------------

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Fourth Report of Canada
Covering the period October 1994 - September 1999
October 2004
Table of Contents page, includes links individual files for each of the sections of the report, as follows:
Foreword - Introduction (Canadian federalism and human rights, Significant cross-jurisdictional developments) - Review of Jurisprudence - Measures Adopted by the Government of Canada - Measures Adopted by the Governments of the Provinces (incl. summaries for each province) - Measures Adopted by the Governments of the Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories)

PDF version of the complete report (1.6MB, 438 pages)
Source:
Human Rights Program
[ Department of Canadian Heritage ]

------

Comment on Canada's Fourth Report by Vince Calderhead of the Charter Committee on Poverty Issues:

The feds have now posted Canada's latest (4th) report under the ICESCR on their Canadian Heritage web site. The report was filed in Geneva on October 4th 2004.

The report purports to cover the period October '94 to September 1999. Having scanned the Federal section, one really does get the sense that 'this is old stuff'. A good example is the review of jurisprudence. Many of the cases featured would strike us as being really dated. Thus, Masse is featured and the while the report discusses Gosselin, the authors only cover the case up to the Quebec Court of Appeal. The following could be said to typify the Canadian government's approach to the whole thing:
"One of the biggest challenges Canada faces is to find a balance between social objectives and economic imperatives that avoids the predominance of either. The reduction of poverty is especially difficult." (para. 32).

The report's' thematic discussion of homelessness can hardly be described as thorough. After going thru the feds' disability and children's agendas, the NCB, SUFA etc, homelessness is then taken up in the following way:
"All levels of government have taken actions to address the challenges Canada faces with respect to homelessness, literacy, and diversity. These strategies are detailed within their respective sections of this report."

Here is my own province's [Nova Scotia's] 'full text' response to the crisis of homelessness, and, while they are at it, the right to adequate food:
"Adequate food:
Grants are provided by the provincial government to assist in the operation of food banks. As well, there are community organizations and churches that provide meals to people who are homeless and have low income."

(with permission from Vince Calderhead)

Related Links:

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- incl. links to : Introduction - Statement to the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (Seattle) - General Comment 15: The right to water (articles 11 and 12) - General Comment 14: The right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 12) - Guidelines for Drafting General Comments - Sessions (State party reports, Concluding observations) - Notes on sessions - States Parties to the Covenant - Draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Plan of Action to Strengthen the Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Press releases - Treaty Body Database.
[ Source: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ]

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
[ Source: Office of the High Commissioner ot the United Nations ]

-------------------------------------

1998

List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the third periodic report of Canada : United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (June 10, 1998) 
 

Canadian Government Responses:  (November 1998)  Federal Government Response British Columbia Government Response Alberta Government Response Saskatchewan Government Response Manitoba Government Response Ontario Government Response Québec Government Response New Brunswick Government Response Nova Scotia Government Response Newfoundland Government Response Northwest Territories Government Response Yukon Government Response No response available from PEI  *Réponse du Gouvernement du Québec*  (voir la note sur la page de réponse du Québec pour obtenir le texte complet en français)	NOTE: Check the government pages for a wealth of program information and statistics on welfare reform, poverty, disability, women, aboriginal people, homelessness and other topical issues.
	.
(excellent information on social program restructuring in Canada and its impacts on women)	Canadian Women and the Social Deficit: A Presentation to the International Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by the National Association of Women and the Law  November 1998 See also: Canada's Response to the UN Questionnaire to Governments on Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome of the Twenty-Third Special Session of the General Assembly (2000) June 2004 " The present response to the United Nations (UN) questionnaire is the 2nd report submitted by Canada on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) (1995) and the Outcome of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly (2000). Canada's 1st national response to the questionnaire submitted in 2000 contained detailed information on measures adopted in Canada in support of the implementation of the BPfA. This report has been prepared as an update and contains information on measures adopted since 2000." Complete report - HTML Complete report - PDF (257 KB, 27 pages) Source: Status of Women Canada

Concluding observations of reports submitted by CANADA to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
PDF file - 73K, 10 pages
December 4, 1998
Source: Low Income Families Together

From WomenWatch*:
[*WomenWatch --- United Nations Information and Resources on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women]

Forty-Ninth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Beijing +10 (United Nations, New York, 28 February to 11 March 2005)
- meeting of high level representatives from 100+ UN Member States and thousands of NGO representatives to review progress made since the Fourth World Congress on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The Ten-Year Review and Appraisal are part of the 49th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Official Documents for the Commission on the Status of Women 49th Session

Review and Appraisal of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
and the Outcome Document of the Twenty-third Special Session of the General Assembly

---------------------------------------------

From Status of Women Canada:

Liza Frulla (Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister Responsible for Status of Women)
Will Lead the Canadian Delegation to the Beijing +10 Meeting in New York
News Release
February 28, 2005

The Honourable Liza Frulla, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 10-year Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action
Statement of Canada
March 2, 2005
"(...)2005, in addition to marking the 30th anniversary of the first world conference on women, also marks the 20th anniversary of the equality provisions of our Constitution."

International Women's Day - March 8, 2005
You Are Here: Women, Canada and the World
"Did you know that March 8 is International Women's Day (IWD) ? Established in 1977 by the United Nations, this special day provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made to advance women's equality, to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary society, to consider future steps to enhance the status of women and, of course, to celebrate the gains made in these areas."
- incl. links to : Theme * News releases and statements * Products available * Ordering products * Calendar of Activities * For more information
Calendar of Activities 2005 (for all of Canada)
Beijing +10 at a Glance
Beijing +10 Resources
Beijing +10: Fact Sheets

---------------------------------------------

A Decade of Going Backwards: Canada in the Post-Beijing Era
Beijing+10 UN shadow report
February 25, 2005
"This shadow report provides a comprehensive analysis of Canada’s progress on the commitments it made to women’s equality ten years ago in Beijing.
Source:
Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)
- incl. "information on Canada’s commitment under the Beijing Platform for Action or the upcoming Beijing meetings in New York (and) links to both the official reports and activities of Canada and the UN, as well as relevant information from women’s organizations around the world."
- incl. links to resources in the following areas: Beijing +10 - Canada Social Transfer - Women, Trade and Economic Justice - Violence, Poverty and Housing - Human Rights in Canada - CEDAW - Gender Budgeting - Pay Equity

Also from FAFIA:

Beijing+10 Research and Resources

---------------------------------------------

International Women's Day (IWD)
"International Women's Day (IWD) is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. Find out what local IWD events are occurring near you for IWD 2005."

Organisations Supporting Women
"The following organisations have proudly listed their 2005 International Women's Day (IWD) event on this site. Learn more about what these organisations do and how you can become more involved with them."
- links to 150+ women's groups

---------------------------------------------

Beijing and Beyond "The Women of the World are Watching"
"The Global Week of Action: Beijing and Beyond is an opportunity for everyone to get involved, apply pressure on their governments, demand women's human rights, and celebrate achievements."

Resources List -

---------------------------------------------

Beijing Betrayed
Women worldwide report that governments have failed to turn the Platform into action. (March 2005)
Source:
Women's Environment &Development Organization

---------------------------------------------

United Nations Development Fund for Women