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Claiming Human Rights - in the Congo

The Republic of the Congo is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

The Congo is a French-speaking country in Central West Africa. With an area of 342,000 square km, it is a middle-sized country with a coastline to the Atlantic Ocean. On a global scale, its population density is very low. The capital of the country, which became independent on 15 August 1960 from France, is Brazzaville. The Congo is a member of the regional economic community ECCAS.

With a Human Development Index of 0.60 the Congo ranks 136th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 3.6 million inhabitants at birth is 54 years, population growth is 1.8 percent per year. GNI is 1,970 US-$ per capita. External debt is 86.1 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 53.8 percent.

In as far as the Congo has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of the Congo and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of the Congo may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since the Congo is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of the Congo may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which the Congo has ratified.

Since the Congo is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

The Congo has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature:   Ratification: 1983 (accession) Reservations: yes/oui Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol: 1983 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report: 1997 Last concluding observations: 2000  
Signature:   Ratification: 1983 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 2000  
Signature:   Ratification: 1988 (accession) Reservations: no/non Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2008 Last concluding observations: 2009  
Signature: 1980 Ratification: 1982 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 2008 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 2010 Last concluding observations: 2003  
Signature:   Ratification: 2003 (accession) Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification: 1993 (accession) Reservations:   Last State report: 2006 Last concluding observations: 2006  
Signature: 2008 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification:   Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1982 Ratification Protocol African Court:   Ratification Children's Charter: 2006 Ratification Maputo Protocol:   Last State report: 2008  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui 
Country Rapporteur: no/non  
National Human Rights Institute: no/non  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 11:57