Geneva Diplomats Briefed about New Research on the National Impact of United Nations Treaty Bodies

View of the meeting room from the podium View of the meeting room from the podium

5 March 2019

 On 18 February 2019, researchers from 20 countries briefed state representatives about their research on the national impact of the United Nations (UN) treaty bodies (TBs).

This study, led by Professors Christof Heyns and Frans Viljoen at the Human Rights Center of the University of Pretoria and in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, examines the impact of the UN human rights treaty system at the national level. Researchers based in 20 countries investigate the extent to which the work of UN TBs has had an impact on their country’s constitution, legal system and policies. Results will be presented by the end of 2019.

‘If the 2020 review of the TB system shall deliver positive results, including strengthening implementation at the national level, the outcomes of this study will be crucial to identify which mechanisms have yielded the best results and what has to be done on the ‘Geneva-side’ of the human rights protection system in order to move towards meaningful positive change’ stresses Felix Kirchmeier, Coordinator of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Un treaty Bodies IMpact at the National Level

Geneva Academy Fridays

The meeting, co-organized with the University of Pretoria, forms part of the Geneva Academy Fridays series. Hosted once a month, the Geneva Academy Fridays are an events series of the Geneva Human Rights Platform, addressing the diplomatic community and informing about research developments related to the process of strengthening the UN Treaty Body System.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GTI Logo News

In Highlight: Global Torture Index

26 June 2025

Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the current highlight of the directory: Global Torture Index

Read more

News

New Working Paper Explores AI for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

30 January 2025

A new working paper, 'AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring', has been published by the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Read more

Local Government Event

Enhancing National Reporting and Implementation of Human Rights through Coordinated Engagement at the Local and Regional Levels: The Role of NMIRFs

23 July 2025, 10:00-17:00

This seminar explores how national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up can better integrate the capacities, data, and experiences of local and regional governments in advancing human rights implementation and reporting.

Read more

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Project

Promoting and Protecting the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and Civic Space Worldwide

Started in June 2020

This project aims at providing support to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Voulé by addressing emerging issues affecting civic space and eveloping tools and materials allowing various stakeholders to promote and defend civic space.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more