The Development of the Human Rights Committee’s Procedure to Consider States Parties’ Reports under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Abstract

This chapter purports to follow the development of the Human Rights Committee’s procedure to consider States Parties’ reports on their implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In order to clarify the effect of the Cold War, the analysis of the development is divided into two sections; one dealing with the Cold War period (1977-1990), the other with the post-Cold War period (1990-present). The analysis has made it clear that the Committee has been making strenuous efforts to improve the consideration procedure in order to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness, although the efforts had to experience a certain setback due to difference of opinions among the Committee members. Keywords: civil rights; cold war period; human rights committee’s procedure; international humanitarian bodies; political rights; post-cold war period; States Parties’ reports