A follow-up report on the implementation in the Philippines of the Concluding Observations and recommendations of the United Nations Committee Against Torture and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Introduction 1.1 Aholistic approach Poverty,inequality and discrimination are often at the root of violence; most victimsof torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment being the poorest or mostmarginalised members of the community. OMCT works to reduce and eliminate torture and cruel, inhuman anddegrading treatment, arbitrary executions, disappearances, violence againstwomen and children and other forms of violence by identifying and attacking theviolations of economic, social and cultural rights that are the root causes ofthat violence. Experience has shown thatacting on only one of the causes of torture has little chance of success. It is therefore essential to adopt amultifaceted and integrated approach that ensures the implementation ofeconomic, social and cultural rights as well as civil and politicalrights. By adopting this holistic approach, OMCT’s work inthis field has shown that addressingthe root causes of violence through the appropriate channels can reduce humanrights abuses as well as help create conditions conducive to economic growthand poverty reduction. OMCT works with nationalnon-governmental organisations (NGOs) to strengthen their capacity to addressthe economic, social and cultural root causes of torture and other forms ofviolence directly with their own national authorities as well asinternationally. There are two key waysin which OMCT and its partner organisations seek to bring about change: throughalternative reports to the United Nations (UN) Treaty Bodies and through urgentinterventions, most notably action files that provide a detailed analysis of a specificsituation where violations of economic, social or cultural rights are causingor risk causing violence and that propose specific remedial action. These action files are addressed to the UN, governments,development and financial institutions, the private sector and the institutionsof the European Union (EU). It isconsidered key to involve international institutions, such as the EU and financialand development bodies, in this process given the role that such institutionscan play in influencing policies and projects at the national level. A key element of the holisticapproach adopted by OMCT is that actionsand remedies requested in alternative reports and action files should bemutually reinforcing. OMCT has thustaken the approach of submitting alternative reports to both the UN Committeeagainst Torture (CAT) and the UN Committee for Economic, Social and CulturalRights (CESCR), which cover cross-cutting issues relevant to both Committeesand which suggest mutually reinforcing recommendations. At the national level, follow-up missionsseek to bridge the implementation gap between the recommendations of theCommittees. Such missions necessarilyfollow up on how (or if) recommendations are being implemented, but other keyobjectives are to draw attention of the national authorities to therecommendations, encouraging them to implement them in a coordinated way, tostrengthen the capacity of other key stakeholders, such as civil society andnational human rights institutions, to take action, and to involve, andmobilise, international institutions in the analysis of the root causes ofviolence.