Publication

Harvard Human Rights Journal

Volume

11

Page

221

Year

1998

Abstract

The United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities convened its 49th Session from August 4 through August 29, 1997, in Geneva, Switzerland. 1 Under the authority of the U.N. Charter, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the Sub-Commission in 1947 as a subsidiary body of the Commission on Human Rights. 2 ECOSOC also created two other sub-commissions at the same time, one to focus on women's rights 3 and the other to deal with freedom of information and freedom of the press. 4 The original mandate of the Sub-Commission was to recommend standards in pursuit of the prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities. 5 To this end, the Sub-Commission helped to draft the early human rights instruments and undertook major comparative human rights studies. 6 The original mandate also recognized that the Sub-Commission should "perform any other functions which may be entrusted to it by the Economic and Social Council or the Commission on Human Rights." 7 Pursuant to this provision, the Sub-Commission has gradually assumed broader responsibility to undertake a wider range of studies, monitor developments in the field, particularly through its working groups, and pursue other tasks "far beyond its original terms of reference." 8 In particular, the Sub-Commission's functions have expanded substantially -- and not always without criticism -- to include action on gross violations of human rights. 9

Comments

The copyright in the Harvard Human Rights Journal is held by the President and Fellows of Harvard College, and the copyright in the article is held by the authors.


Included in

Law Commons

Share

COinS