ÿWPC\ œé àSà2àD4¸XðúûWWÎnUâújeø7÷X÷ùë¸ÜkmOÐ!›ËJV;7E*þ·þ´S‘”  r®¯ª›¦iç¯»Õ „ƒ-ðz õ K½ý!~ÕWuw&ÿ &zµ³P1À.o£‹5j%™'}™ÖüŠó[eªâ·ÉÓÓÑ™:"Ä/ÛnèJñÍF[±º\”ÖÝü’_Ý4#n,ˆ%ó´Ñ‡iJ¬0—ÿÑNrNíÃöë*¡í>MsºtœE¼g˧3DE×—9µÿ<øµEGJFéEÙˆ\xGch"˜ùiœvÚ;ówíIß6Çø·¼âìå ó!qc%͇Nϳʫ¥%J8zß„8­Õ^ð 7yž–ð‰—æ§JåZè$zF­]€äÃ?­9àsQ(šò¶›ä©,_ÙåÈq´¡It¼àÓ%lùøT¤é˵:e(?g¾kÝ“»Tø~%ÂÇøF´zÝŒÐ$˜(#(# ÐŒÝ  ÝÌà0  à...Ðüp(#(# Ðà0  à2.1€€Ms.€Joslin€and€Ms.€Rowan€commenced€a€lesbian€relationship€in€January€1988.€Since€thatÐ è\ Ðpoint,€they€have€jointly€assumed€responsibility€for€their€children€out€of€previous€marriages.Ð ÔH ÐIn€living€together,€they€have€pooled€finances€and€jointly€own€their€common€home.€TheyÐ À4 Ðmaintain€sexual€relations.€On€4€December€1995,€they€applied€under€the€Marriage€Act€1955Ð ¬  Ðto€the€local€Registrar€of€Births,€Deaths€and€Marriages€for€a€marriage€licence,€by€lodging€aÐ ˜  Ðnotice€of€intended€marriage€at€the€local€Registry€Office.€On€14€December€1995,€the€DeputyÐ „ø ÐRegistrar-General€rejected€the€application.€Ðpä(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.2€€Similarly,€Ms.€Ô_ÔZelfÔ_Ô€and€Ms.€Pearl€commenced€a€lesbian€relationship€in€April€1993.€TheyÐ H!¼ Ðalso€share€responsibility€for€the€children€of€a€previous€marriage,€pool€financial€resources€andÐ 4"¨ Ðmaintain€sexual€relations.€On€22€January€1996,€the€local€Registry€Office€refused€to€acceptÐ  #” Ða€notice€of€intended€marriage.€On€2€February€1996,€Ms€Ô_ÔZelfÔ_Ô€and€Ms€Pearl€lodged€a€notice€ofÐ  $€  Ðintended€marriage€at€another€Registry€Office.€On€12€February€1996,€the€Registrar-GeneralÐ ø$l! Ðinformed€them€that€the€notice€could€not€be€processed.€The€Registrar-General€indicated€thatÐ ä%X" Ðthe€Registrar€was€acting€lawfully€in€interpreting€the€Marriage€Act€as€confined€to€marriageÐ Ð&D # Ðbetween€a€man€and€a€woman.€Ð¼'0!$(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.3€€All€four€authors€thereupon€applied€to€the€High€Court€for€a€declaration€that,€as€lesbianÐ ”)#& Ðcouples,€they€were€lawfully€entitled€to€obtain€a€marriage€licence€and€to€marry€pursuant€to€theÐ €*ô#' ÐMarriage€Act€1955.€On€28€May€1996,€the€High€Court€declined€the€application.€ObservingÐ l+à$( Ðinter€alia€that€the€text€of€article€23,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Covenant€"does€not€point€to€same-sexÐ Œ Ðmarriages",€the€Court€held€that€the€statutory€language€of€the€Marriage€Act€was€clear€inÐ xì Ðapplying€to€marriage€between€a€man€and€a€woman€only.€ÐdØ(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.4€€On€17€December€1997,€a€Full€Bench€of€the€Court€of€Appeal€rejected€the€authors'€appeal.Ð < ° ÐThe€Court€held€unanimously€that€the€Marriage€Act,€in€its€terms,€clearly€applied€to€marriageÐ ( œ Ðbetween€a€man€and€a€woman€only.€A€majority€of€the€Court€further€went€on€to€hold€that€theÐ  ˆ Ðrestriction€in€the€Marriage€Act€of€marriage€to€a€man€and€a€woman€did€not€constituteÐ  t Ðdiscrimination.€Justice€Keith,€expressing€the€majority's€views€at€length,€found€no€support€inÐ ì ` Ðthe€scheme€and€text€of€the€Covenant,€the€Committee's€prior€jurisprudence,€the€òòÔ_ÔtravauxÔ_ÔòòóóÐ ØL  ÐóóòòÔ_ÔprparatoiresÔ_Ôóó€nor€scholarly€writingòò1óó/€for€the€proposition€that€a€limitation€of€marriage€to€aÐ Ä8  Ðman€and€a€woman€violated€the€Covenant.€Ð°$ (#(# Ðà0  à...М (#(# Ðà0  à8.2€€The€authors'€essential€claim€is€that€the€Covenant€obligates€States€parties€to€confer€uponÐ ˆü  Ðhomosexual€couples€the€capacity€to€marry€and€that€by€denying€the€authors€this€capacity€theÐ tè  ÐState€party€violates€their€rights€under€articles€16,€17,€23,€paragraphs€1€and€2,€and€26€of€theÐ `Ô  ÐCovenant.€The€Committee€notes€that€article€23,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Covenant€expresslyÐ LÀ Ðaddresses€the€issue€of€the€right€to€marry.€Ð8¬(#(# ÐÌà0  àGiven€the€existence€of€a€specific€provision€in€the€Covenant€on€the€right€to€marriage,€anyÐ „ Ðclaim€that€this€right€has€been€violated€must€be€considered€in€the€light€of€this€provision.Ð üp ÐArticle€23,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Covenant€is€the€only€substantive€provision€in€the€CovenantÐ è\ Ðwhich€defines€a€right€by€using€the€term€"men€and€women",€rather€than€"every€human€being",Ð ÔH Ð"everyone"€and€"all€persons".€Use€of€the€term€"men€and€women",€rather€than€the€generalÐ À4 Ðterms€used€elsewhere€in€Part€III€of€the€Covenant,€has€been€consistently€and€uniformlyÐ ¬  Ðunderstood€as€indicating€that€the€treaty€obligation€of€States€parties€stemming€from€article€23,Ð ˜  Ðparagraph€2,€of€the€Covenant€is€to€recognize€as€marriage€only€the€union€between€a€man€andÐ „ø Ða€woman€wishing€to€marry€each€other.€Ðpä(#(# ÐÌà0  à8.3€€In€light€of€the€scope€of€the€right€to€marry€under€article€23,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Covenant,Ð H!¼ Ðthe€Committee€cannot€find€that€by€mere€refusal€to€provide€for€marriage€between€homosexualÐ 4"¨ Ðcouples,€the€State€party€has€violated€the€rights€of€the€authors€under€articles€16,€17,€23,Ð  #” Ðparagraphs€1€and€2,€or€26€of€the€Covenant.€Ð $€ (#(# ÐÌà0  à9.€€The€Human€Rights€Committee...is€of€the€view€that€the€facts€before€it€do€not€disclose€aÐ ä%X" Ðviolation€of€any€provision€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights.€ÐÐ&D #(#(# Ðà0  à_________________м'0!$(#(# Ðà0  àòòNotesóóШ("%(#(# ÐÌà0  àòò1óó/€€Harris,€D.,€Joseph,€S.:€òòThe€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights€andÐ €*ô#' ÐUnited€Kingdom€Lawóó,€Oxford,€Oxford€University€Press,€1995,€p.€507€("It€seems€clear€thatÐ l+à$( Ðthe€drafters€did€not€envisage€homosexual€or€lesbian€marriages€as€falling€within€the€terms€ofÐ Œ Ðarticle€23€(2).")€Ðxì(#(# Ðà0  à_________________ÐdØ(#(# ÐÌà0  àòòIndividual€Opinion€by€Mr.€Rajsoomer€Lallah€and€Mr.€Martin€Scheinin€(concurring)óóÐ< °(#(# ÐÌà0  àWe€found€no€difficulty€in€joining€the€Committee's€consensus€on€the€interpretation€of€the€rightÐ  ˆ Ðto€marry€under€article€23,€paragraph€2.€This€provision€entails€an€obligation€for€States€toÐ  t Ðrecognize€as€marriage€the€union€of€one€adult€man€and€one€adult€woman€who€wish€to€marryÐ ì ` Ðeach€other.€The€provision€in€no€way€limits€the€liberty€of€States,€pursuant€to€article€5,Ð ØL  Ðparagraph€2,€to€recognize,€in€the€form€of€marriage€or€in€some€other€comparable€form,€theÐ Ä8  Ðcompanionship€between€two€men€or€between€two€women.€However,€no€support€can€beÐ °$  Ðdrawn€from€this€provision€for€practices€that€violate€the€human€rights€or€dignity€ofÐ œ  Ðindividuals,€such€as€child€marriages€or€forced€marriages.€Ðˆü (#(# ÐÌà0  àAs€to€the€Committee's€unanimous€view€that€it€cannot€find€a€violation€of€article€26,€either,€inÐ `Ô  Ðthe€non-recognition€as€marriage€of€the€same-sex€relationships€between€the€authors,€we€wishÐ LÀ Ðto€add€a€few€observations.€This€conclusion€should€not€be€read€as€a€general€statement€thatÐ 8¬ Ðdifferential€treatment€between€married€couples€and€same-sex€couples€not€allowed€under€theÐ $˜ Ðlaw€to€marry€would€never€amount€to€a€violation€of€article€26.€On€the€contrary,€theÐ „ ÐCommittee's€jurisprudence€supports€the€position€that€such€differentiation€may€very€well,Ð üp Ðdepending€on€the€circumstances€of€a€concrete€case,€amount€to€prohibited€discrimination.€Ðè\(#(# ÐÌà0  àContrary€to€what€was€asserted€by€the€State€party€(para.€4.12),€it€is€the€established€view€of€theÐ À4 ÐCommittee€that€the€prohibition€against€discrimination€on€grounds€of€"sex"€in€article€26Ð ¬  Ðcomprises€also€discrimination€based€on€sexual€orientation.òòaóó/€And€when€the€Committee€hasÐ ˜  Ðheld€that€certain€differences€in€the€treatment€of€married€couples€and€unmarried€heterosexualÐ „ø Ðcouples€were€based€on€reasonable€and€objective€criteria€and€hence€not€discriminatory,€theÐ pä Ðrationale€of€this€approach€was€in€the€ability€of€the€couples€in€question€to€choose€whether€toÐ \ Ð Ðmarry€or€not€to€marry,€with€all€the€entailing€consequences.òòbóó/€No€such€possibility€of€choiceÐ H!¼ Ðexists€for€same-sex€couples€in€countries€where€the€law€does€not€allow€for€same-sex€marriageÐ 4"¨ Ðor€other€type€of€recognized€same-sex€partnership€with€consequences€similar€to€or€identicalÐ  #” Ðwith€those€of€marriage.€Therefore,€a€denial€of€certain€rights€or€benefits€to€same-sex€couplesÐ  $€  Ðthat€are€available€to€married€couples€may€amount€to€discrimination€prohibited€under€articleÐ ø$l! Ð26,€unless€otherwise€justified€on€reasonable€and€objective€criteria.€Ðä%X"(#(# ÐÌà0  àHowever,€in€the€current€case€we€find€that€the€authors€failed,€perhaps€intentionally,€toÐ ¼'0!$ Ðdemonstrate€that€they€were€personally€affected€in€relation€to€certain€rights€not€necessarilyÐ ¨("% Ðrelated€to€the€institution€of€marriage,€by€any€such€distinction€between€married€and€unmarriedÐ ”)#& Ðpersons€that€would€amount€to€discrimination€under€article€26.€Their€references€to€differencesÐ €*ô#' Ðin€treatment€between€married€couples€and€same-sex€unions€were€either€repetitious€of€theÐ l+à$( Ðrefusal€of€the€State€party€to€recognize€same-sex€unions€in€the€specific€form€of€"marriage"Ð Œ Ð(para.€3.1),€an€issue€decided€by€the€Committee€under€article€23,€or€remained€unsubstantiatedÐ xì Ðas€to€if€and€how€the€authors€were€so€personally€affected€(para.€3.5).€Taking€into€account€theÐ dØ Ðassertion€by€the€State€party€that€it€does€recognize€the€authors,€with€and€without€their€children,Ð P Ä Ðas€families€(para.€4.8),€we€are€confident€in€joining€the€Committee's€consensus€that€there€wasÐ < ° Ðno€violation€of€article€26.€Ð( œ(#(# Ðà0  à_________________Ð ˆ(#(# Ðà0  àòòNotesóóò òó óÐ t(#(# ÐÌà0  àòòaóó/€€òòToonen€v.€Australiaóó,€Communication€No.€488/1992.€ÐØL (#(# ÐÌà0  àòòbóó/€€òòDanning€v.€the€Netherlandsóó,€Communication€No.€180/1984.€Ð°$ (#(# Ðà0  à_________________М (#(# ÐÌÌÓ€ 4-./0123(2ìxx4-./0123ÓÝ"‚3£"ÝÝ  ÝÝ‚3£A§ÝÔ22ìÔððÔ3  Ôà0  àÝ  ÝÔL  ÔÔM  ÔòòDerksen€v.€The€NetherlandsÔL  ÔÔM  Ô€óó(976/2001),€ICCPR,€A/59/40€vol.€II€(1€April€2004)€173€at€paras.Ð `Ô  Ð1,€2.1„2.4€and€9.2.݃3£A§n§ÝŒÐLÀ(#(# ÐŒÝ  ÝÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÌà0  à1.€€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Cecilia€Derksen,€a€Dutch€national.€€She€submits€theÐ $˜ Ðcommunication€on€her€own€behalf€and€on€behalf€of€her€child€Kaya€Marcelle€Bakker,€bornÐ „ Ðon€21€April€1995,€and€thus€5€years€old€at€the€time€of€the€initial€submission.€€She€claims€thatÐ üp Ðshe€and€her€child€are€the€victims€of€a€violation€by€the€Netherlands€of€article€26€of€theÐ è\ ÐInternational€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights.€€The€author€is€represented€by€counsel.ÐÔH(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.1€€The€author€shared€a€household€with€her€partner€Marcel€Bakker€from€August€1991€to€22Ð ¬  ÐFebruary€1995.€€It€is€stated€that€Mr.€Bakker€was€the€breadwinner,€whereas€Ms.€Derksen€tookÐ ˜  Ðcare€of€the€household€and€had€a€part-time€job.€€They€had€signed€a€cohabitation€contract€andÐ „ø Ðwhen€Ms.€Derksen€became€pregnant,€Mr.€Bakker€recognized€the€child€as€his.€€The€authorÐ pä Ðstates€that€they€intended€to€marry.€€On€22€February€1995,€Mr.€Bakker€died€in€an€accident.Ð\ Ð(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.2€€On€6€July€1995,€the€author€requested€benefits€under€the€General€Widows€and€OrphansÐ 4"¨ ÐLaw€(AWW,€Algemene€Weduwen€en€Wezen€Wet).€€On€1€August€1995,€her€request€wasÐ  #” Ðrejected€because€she€had€not€been€married€to€Mr.€Bakker€and€therefore€could€not€beÐ  $€  Ðrecognized€as€widow€under€the€AWW.€€Under€the€AWW,€benefits€for€half-orphans€wereÐ ø$l! Ðincluded€in€the€widowsðð€benefits.Ðä%X"(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.3€€On€1€July€1996,€the€Surviving€Dependants€Act€(ANW,€Algemene€Nabestaanden€Wet)Ð ¼'0!$ Ðreplaced€the€AWW.€€Under€the€ANW,€unmarried€partners€are€also€entitled€to€a€benefit.€€OnÐ ¨("% Ð26€November€1996€Ms.€Derksen€applied€for€a€benefit€under€the€ANW.€€On€9€DecemberÐ ”)#& Ð1996,€her€application€was€rejected€by€the€Social€Insurance€Bank€(Sociale€Verzekeringsbank)Ð €*ô#' Ðon€the€grounds€that€ð ð(...)€only€those€who€were€entitled€to€a€benefit€under€the€AWW€on€30Ð l+à$( ÐJune€1996€and€those€who€became€widow€on€or€after€1€July€1996€are€entitled€to€a€benefitÐ Œ Ðunder€the€ANWðð.Ðxì(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.4€€Ms.€Derksenððs€request€for€revision€of€the€decision€was€rejected€by€the€Board€of€theÐ P Ä ÐSocial€Insurance€Bank€on€6€February€1997.€€Her€further€appeal€was€rejected€by€the€DistrictÐ < ° ÐCourt€Zutphen€(Arrondissementsrechtbank€Zutphen)€on€28€November€1997.€€On€10€MarchÐ ( œ Ð1999,€the€Central€Council€of€Appeal€(Centrale€Raad€van€Beroep)€declared€her€appealÐ  ˆ Ðunfounded.€€With€this,€all€domestic€remedies€are€said€to€be€exhausted.Ð t(#(# Ðà0  à...Ðì `(#(# ÐÔL  ÔÔM  Ôà0  à9.2€€The€first€question€before€the€Committee€is€whether€the€author€of€the€communication€isÐ ØL  Ða€victim€of€a€violation€of€article€26€of€the€Covenant,€because€the€new€legislation€whichÐ Ä8  Ðprovides€for€equal€benefits€to€married€and€unmarried€dependants€whose€partner€has€died€isÐ °$  Ðnot€applied€to€cases€where€the€unmarried€partner€has€died€before€the€effective€date€of€the€newÐ œ  Ðlaw.€€The€Committee€recalls€its€jurisprudence€concerning€earlier€claims€of€discriminationÐ ˆü  Ðagainst€the€Netherlands€in€relation€to€social€security€legislation.€€The€Committee€reiteratesÐ tè  Ðthat€not€every€distinction€amounts€to€prohibited€discrimination€under€the€Covenant,€as€longÐ `Ô  Ðas€it€is€based€on€reasonable€and€objective€criteria.€€The€Committee€recalls€that€it€has€earlierÐ LÀ Ðfound€that€a€differentiation€between€married€and€unmarried€couples€does€not€amount€to€aÐ 8¬ Ðviolation€of€article€26€of€the€Covenant,€since€married€and€unmarried€couples€are€subject€toÐ $˜ Ðdifferent€legal€regimes€and€the€decision€whether€or€not€to€enter€into€a€legal€status€by€marriageÐ „ Ðlies€entirely€with€the€cohabitating€persons.€€By€enacting€the€new€legislation€the€State€partyÐ üp Ðhas€provided€equal€treatment€to€both€married€and€unmarried€cohabitants€for€purposes€ofÐ è\ Ðsurviving€dependantsðð€benefits.€€Taking€into€account€that€the€past€practice€of€distinguishingÐ ÔH Ðbetween€married€and€unmarried€couples€did€not€constitute€prohibited€discrimination,€theÐ À4 ÐCommittee€is€of€the€opinion€that€the€State€party€was€under€no€obligation€to€make€theÐ ¬  Ðamendment€retroactive.€€The€Committee€considers€that€the€application€of€the€legislation€toÐ ˜  Ðnew€cases€only€does€not€constitute€a€violation€of€article€26€of€the€Covenant.Єø(#(# ÐÌÌÓ€ 4-./0123(2ìxx4-./0123ÓÝ"‚3£"ÝÝ  ÝÝ‚3£¦¼ÝÔ22ìÔððÔ3  Ôà0  àÝ  ÝòòNgambi€v.€FranceóóÔL  ÔÔM  Ô€(1179/2003ÔL  ÔÔM  Ô)ÔL  ÔÔM  Ô,€ICCPR,€ÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÔL  ÔÔM  ÔÔL  ÔÔM  ÔA/59/40€vol.€II€(9€July€2004)€558€at€paras.€2.1„2.4,Ð H!¼ Ð6.3„6.5€and€7.1.݃3£¦¼Ó¼ÝŒÐ4"¨(#(# ÐŒÝ  ÝÌà0  à...Ð $€ (#(# Ðà0  à2.1€€Mr.€B.€Ngambi€states€that€he€married€Ms.€M.-L.€Nbol€in€Cameroon€on€15€January€1983.€Ð ø$l! ÐAfter€engaging€in€political€activity,€he€was€arrested€by€the€police€on€two€occasions€and€fledÐ ä%X" ÐCameroon€in€1993.€€He€submitted€an€application€for€refugee€status€in€France€in€1994.ÐÐ&D #(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.2€€On€8€March€1995,€the€French€authorities€accorded€refugee€status€to€Mr.€B.€Ngambi€and,Ð ¨("% Ðon€16€May€1995,€issued€a€record€of€civil€status€acknowledging€his€marriage€to€Ms.€M.-L.Ð ”)#& ÐNbol.Ѐ*ô#'(#(# ÐÐ l+à$( Ðà0  à2.3€€Nevertheless,€in€a€decision€dated€19€September€1999,€the€Consul€General€of€France€inÐ Œ ÐDouala,€Cameroon,€denied€the€application€for€a€visa€for€Ms.€M.-L.€Nbol€on€the€ground€ofÐ xì Ðfamily€reunification,€as€the€Cameroonian€authorities€had€indicated€that€the€authorsðð€marriageÐ dØ Ðcertificate€was€not€genuine.€€The€decision€states€that€the€denial€did€not€constitute€aÐ P Ä Ðdisproportionate€interference€with€the€right€to€privacy€and€to€a€family€life€owing€to€theÐ < ° Ðcircumstances€indicated€above,€and€to€the€fact€that€in€practice€Ms.€M.-L.€Nbol€and€Mr.€B.Ð ( œ ÐNgambi€had€no€conjugal€life€together;€the€latter€had€in€fact€had€a€relationship€with€Ms.€M.K.,Ð  ˆ Ðwith€whom€he€had€had€a€child.Ð t(#(# ÐÌà0  à2.4€€On€23€May€2001,€in€a€ruling€on€Ms.€M.-L.€Nbolððs€appeal€against€the€decision€by€theÐ ØL  ÐConsul€General€of€France,€the€Council€of€State€found€that€the€fact€that€the€marriageÐ Ä8  Ðcertificate€submitted€by€the€authors€was€not€genuine,€and€that€this€circumstance€becameÐ °$  Ðknown€subsequent€to€recognition€by€the€French€authorities€of€the€authorsðð€marriageÐ œ  Ðcertificate,€constituted€legal€justification€for€the€denial€of€a€visa€for€Ms.€M.-L.€Nbol.€€TheÐ ˆü  ÐCouncil€concluded€that,€since€the€authors€did€not€cohabit€as€spouses,€the€decision€of€19Ð tè  ÐSeptember€1999€was€not€a€disproportionate€interference€with€the€right€of€the€party€to€respectÐ `Ô  Ðfor€private€and€family€life,€as€guaranteed€by€article€8€of€the€European€Convention€for€theÐ LÀ ÐProtection€of€Human€Rights€and€Fundamental€Freedoms.Ð8¬(#(# Ðà0  à...Ð$˜(#(# Ðà0  à6.3€€With€regard€to€the€claimed€violation€of€article€23€of€the€Covenant,€the€Committee€hasÐ „ Ðnoted€the€arguments€of€the€authors€and€of€the€State€party.€€Although€the€authenticity€of€theÐ üp Ðauthorsðð€ð ðmarriage€certificateðð€was€not€at€first€questioned€either€by€OFPRA€or€by€theÐ è\ ÐMinistry€of€Foreign€Affairs€in€a€letter€dated€30€December€1997,€nonetheless,€marriageÐ ÔH Ðcertificate€No.€117/83€of€15€January€1983€purporting€to€be€from€the€municipality€of€DoualaÐ À4 Ðwas€determined€by€the€municipality€on€30€March€1998€to€be€inauthentic€and€this€report€wasÐ ¬  Ðinvoked€by€the€Consul€General€of€France€in€Douala€on€19€September€1999€as€a€ground€forÐ ˜  Ðdenial€of€Ms.€Nbolððs€visa€application.€€In€addition,€the€birth€certificates€supplied€by€Ms.Ð „ø ÐNbol€to€authenticate€the€family€relation€of€the€authorsðð€two€claimed€sons,€Franck€NgambiÐ pä Ðand€Emmanuel€Ngambi,€as€well€as€her€own€birth€certificate,€were€also€determined€by€theÐ \ Ð ÐConsul€General€to€be€inauthentic.€ÐH!¼(#(# ÐÌà0  à6.4€€Article€23€of€the€Covenant€guarantees€the€protection€of€family€life€including€the€interestÐ  #” Ðin€family€reunification.€€The€Committee€recalls€that€the€term€ð ðfamilyðð,€for€purposes€of€theÐ  $€  ÐCovenant,€must€be€understood€broadly€as€to€include€all€those€comprising€a€family€asÐ ø$l! Ðunderstood€in€the€society€concerned.€€The€protection€of€such€family€is€not€necessarilyÐ ä%X" Ðobviated,€in€any€particular€case,€by€the€absence€of€formal€marriage€bonds,€especially€whereÐ Ð&D # Ðthere€is€a€local€practice€of€customary€or€common€law€marriage.€€Nor€is€the€right€to€protectionÐ ¼'0!$ Ðof€family€life€necessarily€displaced€by€geographical€separation,€infidelity,€or€the€absence€ofÐ ¨("% Ðconjugal€relations.€€However,€there€must€first€be€a€family€bond€to€protect.€€The€CommitteeÐ ”)#& Ðnotes€that€the€authors€submitted€to€the€French€authorities€documents€supposedly€attesting€toÐ €*ô#' Ðthe€family€relationship,€but€these€documents€were€determined€by€the€French€authorities€toÐ l+à$( Ðbe€fabricated.€€The€Committee€further€notes€that€the€authors€have€not€effectively€refutedÐ Œ Ðthese€findings,€thus€giving€the€French€authorities€sufficient€basis€to€deny€the€authorsððÐ xì Ðapplications€for€a€long-term€visa€and€family€reunification.€€The€Committee€considers€that€theÐ dØ Ðauthors€have€not€substantiated€their€allegation€that€the€right€to€protection€of€family€life€hasÐ P Ä Ðbeen€infringed€by€the€French€authorities.Ð< °(#(# ÐÌà0  à6.5€€With€regard€to€the€alleged€violation€of€article€17€of€the€Covenant,€that€is,€interferenceÐ  ˆ Ðwith€private€and€family€life,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€inquiries€conducted€by€the€FrenchÐ  t Ðauthorities€as€to€Ms.€Nbolððs€status€and€family€relations€followed€upon€her€request€for€a€visaÐ ì ` Ðfor€family€reunification,€and€necessarily€had€to€cover€considerations€relating€to€the€privateÐ ØL  Ðand€family€life€of€the€authors.€€The€Committee€considers€that€the€authors€have€notÐ Ä8  Ðdemonstrated€that€these€inquiries€amounted€to€arbitrary€and€illegal€interference€in€theirÐ °$  Ðprivate€and€family€life.€€Nor€have€the€authors€substantiated€their€allegations€of€pressure€andÐ œ  Ðintimidation€on€the€part€of€the€French€authorities€aimed€at€undermining€their€so-calledÐ ˆü  Ðmarriage.Ðtè (#(# Ðà0  à...Ð`Ô (#(# Ðà0  à7.1€€Accordingly,€the€Committee€finds€the€complaints€inadmissible€under€article€2€of€theÐ LÀ ÐOptional€Protocol.Ð8¬(#(# Ð