activities of a petroleum consortium in Southern Nigeria by re-affirming that the African Charter was creating a certain number of obligations for the States Parties which include, in particular, << the responsibility of respecting, protecting, promoting and implementing 7 >> the rights which it sets out before specifying that << the Governments have a responsibility to protect their citizens, not only by adopting appropriate legislation and by applying them effectively, but also by protecting the said citizens from harmful activities which can be perpetrated by private parties. This responsibility requires positive action on their part >>. iii. That the interpretation by the Commission of Article 1 of the African Charter can be compared with that of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on Article 2 × 1. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. 2. Where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take necessary steps, in accordadnce with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant. 3. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes: [list=a] 4. To ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity; 5. To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall have his right thereto determined by competent judicial, administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, and to develop the possibilities of judicial remedy; 6. To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce such remedies when granted. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm accessed 25.10.2010 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights ([ICCPR])8 , interpretation in which the [HRC] affirms that the provision contained in Article 2 × 1. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. 2. Where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take necessary steps, in accordadnce with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant. 3. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes: [list=a] 4. To ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity; 5. To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall have his right thereto determined by competent judicial, administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, and to develop the possibilities of judicial remedy; 6. To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce such remedies when granted. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm accessed 25.10.2010 embraced an obligation of << absolute character >> with << effect immediate >>9 requiring the States Parties to << take legislative, judicial, administrative, educational and other appropriate measures to fulfill their obligations >>10 7