List of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of the initial report of ARMENIA concerning the rights referred to in articles 1-15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/1990/5/Add.36)
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. As this is the initial report of Armenia, please provide updated general information on the country ÿ the land, the composition of the population by ethnic group, age and gender ÿ and social and economic indicators describing the current situation in the country, including GDP, per capita income, subsistence income, the inflation rate, levels of foreign and internal debt.
B. General legal framework within which human rights are protected
2. Please supply information on the State bodies having competence with regard to the protection of human rights.
3. Can reference be made directly to the Covenant or other international human rights instruments in Armenian courts? Are there any cases which have been decided by courts implementing Covenant rights?
4. Please provide updated information on the ratification by Armenia of the principal ILO Conventions.
5. What measures are being taken in Armenia to bring national legislation into line with the Covenant?
6. What is the position of the Government of Armenia with regard to the recommendations of the World Conference on Human Rights concerning the elaboration of an optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights?
C. Information and publicity concerning the rights covered by the Covenant
7. Please describe the measures taken by the Government of Armenia to inform State officials and the public of the rights set forth in the Covenant.
8. Have Armenian nonÿgovernmental organizations participated in the preparation of the report?
II. ISSUES RELATING TO THE GENERAL PROVISIONS OF THE COVENANT (arts. 1-5)
Article 2 Nonÿdiscrimination
9. What has become of the "Refugees Act", the elaboration of which is referred to in the report? If is has been adopted, how are issues of nonÿdiscrimination dealt with in the Act? (para. 37 of the report)
10. Is the massive exodus of Azerbaijanis from Armenia mentioned in the report a consequence of a discriminatory policy against them?
11. In the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD/C/304/add.51), it is stated that Armenian legislation hinders the position of education in minority languages. Does the Government intend to correct this situation?
Article 3 Equality between men and women
12. Please supply updated information on the measures taken after the ratification of conventions concerning women's rights.
13. According to UNDP, wages of women are one third lower than wages of men. How can this be explained and what has the Government done about this issue?
14. What measures is the Government of Armenia taking to solve the problem of female unemployment?
15. What is the trend of female participation in the management of the affairs of society and the State? What is the explanation for the sharp drop in the number of female members of Parliament?
II. ISSUES RELATING TO SPECIFIC RIGHTS RECOGNIZED IN THE COVENANT (arts. 6-15)
Article 6 The right to work
16. Please supply updated information on unemployment trends in the country and provide statistical data, disagregated by gender and by age groups.
17. Please describe the measures being taken by the Government to address the high level of unemployment, particularly among women.
Article 7 The right to just and favourable conditions of work
18. Please provide information on wage levels in the main production sectors in comparison with the minimum wage.
19. Please explain how it is that the report asserts that, despite "changes in the economic and social sphere", "no radical change has occurred in labour relations, working conditions and labour hygiene", but later acknowledges that "State regulation in these areas has not been introduced to date" (p. 14 of the Russian text).
20. Please describe the outcome of the work "relating to the certification of jobs and enterprises in accordance with international standards" (p. 15 of the Russian text) and the contribution of this work to the enjoyment of social and economic rights.
21. Please supply information on the past five years' trends in workplace injuries and occupational illnesses.
22. Please provide statistical and other information on the conditions of work of minors.
Article 8 Trade union rights
23. Have any laws governing the activities of trade unions been adopted in Armenia in recent years?
24. What has become of the Act "On the Settlement of Collective Labour Disputes" referred to in the report? (para.95 of the report).
25. The report indicates that labour collectives "have the right to apply to the President in defence of their lawful rights and interests" (p. 17 of the Russian text). What is the role of the courts in the settlement of disputes between enterprise trade unions and management?
26. Please supply information on the frequency of strikes in recent years.
Article 9 The right to social security
27. How do the basic social security benefits referred to in the report compare with the subsistence income?
28. Please provide updated information on expenditure for social security over the past five years.
29. Please indicate the measures taken by the State Party to ensure the implementation of the right to social security for the disabled. Why are there no special provisions in the law for measures to facilitate access by persons with disabilities to buildings and public transportation facilities?
Article 10 Protection of the family, mothers and children
30. Please supply updated information on legislation relating to marriage and the family.
31. Describe the machinery for the implementation of the "Rights of the Child Act". How, for example, does Armenia ensure the implementation of article 8 of the Act, in accordance with which every child has the right to the conditions of life necessary for his/her physical, mental and spiritual development?
32. Please describe the implementation of article 12 of the "Rights of the Child Act", in accordance with which the State may in certain circumstances assume responsibility for a child's care. Please provide statistical information on children's homes, special reformatories for young offenders, the number of children without parental care, etc.
Article 11: Right to an adequate standard of living
33. Please indicate what concrete measures the State Party is taking to reduce the extreme poverty which affects the most vulnerable groups, such as single and/ or disabled pensioners, orphans, institutionalized children, elderly people, expecting and nursing mothers and destitute people relying solely on social assistance.
34. With respect to article 11 of the Covenant, the report refers to a series of measures whose implementation will reduce the risk of "structural longÿterm poverty". Which of these measures have been implemented and with what results?
35. Please provide updated statistical information on the level of food provision for the population.
36. How is agriculture being privatized in Armenia and what is the trend in funding for the agricultural sector?
37. What is the Government doing to resolve the crisis in the residential construction sector?
Article 12 Right to physical and mental health
38. Have any of the measures for the reorganization of the healthÿcare system, referred to in the report, been implemented? (para. 234).
39. What has become of the health bills referred to in the report? (para. 235).
40. Please supply information on trends in health expenditure over the past five years.
Articles 13 and 14 Right to education
41. Please supply statistical information on expenditure for education in Armenia, broken down by type of education, over the past five years.
42. What progress has been made in the reform of the higher education system referred to in the report?
43. Please supply information on the numbers of school buildings in earthquake zones.
44. Please supply information on the number of schoolÿage children not attending school and explain the reasons for their failure to attend.
45. Please provide information on the extent to which issues of human rights education are taken into account in school curricula, as well as on how school teachers are trained in this respect.
Article 15: Right to take part in cultural life
46. Please provide updated information on the Government's efforts to preserve culture in the context of the economic crisis.
47. Please supply information on legislation prohibiting the dissemination of works which foment religious, racial or national intolerance.
48. Please supply information on the protection of copyright and intellectual property.