ENG-2006 — Page 64

36 The Legal System

the rights of individuals against discrimination, harassment and vilification on the grounds of race.

United Nations Human Rights Treaties

Fourteen international human rights treaties apply to Hong Kong. Six of these. oblige governments to submit periodic reports to the UN treaty monitoring bodies. At the end of 2006, the position regarding the Government's reporting obligations was:

(a) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): the

UN Human Rights Committee heard the second report in March 2006;

(b) the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR): the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights heard the second report, as part of China's first report, in April 2005;

(c) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD): the initial report as part of China's combined eighth and ninth report was examined by the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2001. Preparation of the second report (which will form part of China's combined tenth to thirteenth report) is under way;

(d) the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT): the UN Committee against Torture examined the initial report as part of China's third report in 2000. The second report which formed part of China's combined fourth and fifth report was submitted in June 2006;

(e) the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child heard the initial report as part of China's second report - in September 2005; and

(f) the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women heard the second report combined fifth and sixth report in August 2006.

as part of China's

With the exception of the ICCPR, to which China is not yet a party, Hong Kong teams attend the UN hearings as part of the Chinese delegations. In the case of the ICCPR, Hong Kong attended alone under the leadership of the Chinese Permanent Ambassador to the UN.

Race Relations

The Race Relations Unit

The unit was established in June 2002 to promote the interests of the ethnic minorities. It produces publicity materials, operates a hotline for complaints and enquires, conducts an outreach education programme in schools, and serves as the secretariat to the Committee on the Promotion of Racial Harmony. It maintains close liaison with ethnic minority communities and their representatives and, started this