IV AFRICA
| DOI | 10.1177/092405190101900307 |
| Date | 01 September 2001 |
| Published date | 01 September 2001 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Human Rights News
B. Commission Proposal Directive
On 3 April 2001, the Commission presented a proposal for a Council Directive laying down
minimum standards on the reception
of
applicants for asylum in Member States
(COM(2001)181 final).' The provisions
of
the Directive apply to all third country nationals
and stateless persons who make an application for asylum at the border or on the territory
of
a Member State and to their accompanying family members.
It
follows from the definition
of
applicant for asylum that the Directive does not apply in case a final decision has been
taken with respect to the application for asylum. The Directive would not prevent the
Member States from introducing or retaining more favourable provisions in the field
of
reception conditions for applicants for asylum.
It
contains a detailed arrangement
of
the
reception conditions in the Member States. For example, the Member States need to ensure
that applicants for asylum have access to health and psychological care; that minors have
access to the education system under the same conditions as nationals; that applicants for
asylum have access to the labour market within 6 months after their application has been
lodged. In addition, the Directive contains an arrangement
of
the material reception
conditions. These include the housing
of
applicants for asylum and the allowances or
vouchers to cover material reception conditions. Finally, the Directive contains a chapter on
persons with special needs, laying down specific rules for the reception
of
unaccompanied
minors. Ifthe Commission proposal would be adopted without amendments, this would mean
that the Member States would have to comply with the Directive by 31 December 2002 at
the latest.
IV
AFRICA
Rachel Murray
A.
The
African Commission on
Human
and
Peoples' Rights
The 29th session
of
the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights was held in
Tripoli, Libya, from 23 April to 7 May 2001.
It
was attended by representatives
of
States,
NGOs and other observers. The Commission heard statements from delegates
of
Algeria,
Tunisia, Eritrea, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Egypt,
Mauritania, Congo, Libya, Burundi, Sudan, SADR, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Togo, Benin,
Rwanda, CAR and Cote d'Ivoire.
It
also heard from NGOs about the situation
of
human
rights on the continent. Issues raised for debate during the session included the threat
of
HIV/AIDS and concerns for human rights defenders, with some NGOs calling on the
Commission to appoint a Special Rapporteur on the latter.
National human rights commissions participating in the session included those from
Algeria and the Commission for Gender Equality from South Africa. After astatement from
the national commission in Niger, the issue
of
the change in status
of
these commissions and
whether,
if
their independence was jeapordised by the national authorities, they should
continue to have affiliated status with the African COmmission was discussed.
It
was
suggested that a resolution be adopted. Affiliated status was granted to the institution in
Chad.
Also on the agenda was the relationship between the Commission and NGOs. The
Secretary said that this matter had not been concluded from previous sessions where NGOs
http://europa.eu.intJeur-lex/nl/com/pdf/2001/com2001_0181nlOl.pdf.
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