UN TREATY BODY REFORM: Consultation process reaches decisive stage

Summary: The consultation process for strengthening the Treaty Body system, which began with the Dublin meeting in November 2009, is drawing to a close. A concluding report will be released in June this year.

Background

In 2009, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navanethem Pillay, appealed to States Parties to human rights treaties, Treaty Body members and other stakeholders, such as civil society organisations and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), to reflect on proposals which would enable the Treaty Body system to be more coherent, coordinated and effective.

Process

The consultation process is open and is composed of the following tracks:

• Formal meetings, including the annual inter-committee meetings of human rights treaty bodies and meetings of chairpersons
• Consultations within the treaty bodies

• Informal meetings and consultations
  - Dublin Statement on the Strengthening of the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body System
  -Marrakesh Statement
  -Poznan Statement
  -Seoul Statement on Strengthening the UN Human Rights Treaty Body System
  -Report of the Informal Technical Consultation with States parties in Sion
  -Pretoria Statement
  -Report of the Seminar on Implementation of Concluding Observations in Bristol
  -Report of the Lucerne Academic Consultation
  -Report of the Expert Meeting on Petitions
  -Dublin II Outcome Document
  -Report of the Maastricht Seminar on the UPR and treaty bodies
  -Report of the consultation with UN entities and specialized agencies
  
• Stakeholders’ written submissions:
  - Response by non-governmental organizations to the Dublin Statement
  - NGO statement on strengthening the treaty body individual communications procedures

Process nearing conclusion

The treaty body strengthening process has reached a decisive stage. A series of meetings and statements, which began in Dublin in November 2009, culminated in the ‘Dublin II' wrap-up meeting of November 10-11 November 2011, which issued an Outcome Document containing concrete recommendations for treaty bodies, States and the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.

Recommendations were based on:

a) General measures of treaty body strengthening: Membership, harmonisation of treaty body procedures, promoting knowledge of the treaty body system, reprisals and resources.

b) Treaty Body functions: State reporting process, individual complaints, follow-up and implementation of Concluding Observations, and General Comments.

• Read the Dublin II Outcome Document

Remaining Consultations

Two final informal consultations for States will take place in:

• Geneva on 7-8 February 2012
• New York on 2-3 April 2012

What happens next?

The High Commissioner will prepare a report compiling the various proposals made during the consultation process. CRIN will be posting this report on our website as soon as it is released, as well as commenting on the implications for children's rights.

The Treaty Body system and child rights

Whilst the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the primary focus for child rights advocates, CRIN encourages advocates to use the full range of opportunities within the UN and regional human rights mechanisms to pursue children's rights advocacy. We will be highlighting upcoming sessions of other relevant treaty bodies in our Advocacy Calender, together with details of how to report to the bodies.

Further Information

• Read about the UN Treaty Bodies
• Read the quarterly treaty bodies newsletter

pdf: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/HRTD/index.htm