The GHRP Reiterates the Importance of Conducting Focused Reviews in Regions

14 June 2021

At the 7 June, 2021 online meeting of the Chairpersons of the United Nations (UN) human rights treaty bodies (TBs), the Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Felix Kirchmeier reiterated the importance of conducting dialogues with state parties concerning their reports at the national or regional level.

Enhancing TBs Visibility at National Level

Introducing reviews in the region constitute an important step towards increased domestic stakeholder accessibility to UN TBs and closer interaction with national and regional human rights actors.

‘The possibility that TBs can act outside Geneva also presents an opportunity to give them greater visibility and to foster a stronger sense of universal ownership over time, and, as such, to strengthen the system and to contribute towards its long-term sustainability and impact’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier.

‘In this respect, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s extraordinary meeting in the Pacific island state of Samoa back in March 2020 has shown the many benefits of engaging on regional level’ he adds.

Universalizing States’ Engagement with the UN TB System

This move towards the national level would also allow for a lighter focused review between two full reviews, stretching the reporting cycle and facilitating states’ engagement with the TBs.

‘This is a real chance to bring us closer to full reporting compliance and universal engagement with the TBs’ says Domenico Zipoli, Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy.

A key Outcome of the 2020 Review

This recommendation is a key outcome of the 2020 review (A/75/601) and has been supported by the GHRP since 2018. It is also in line with the call by 45 states – as voiced in their letter to the TB Chairpersons on the occasion of this meeting – to replace every second review with a focused review.

‘We are ready to support Un TBs in this endeavour by piloting this focused review at country-level with interested states and TB members ’ explains Felix Kirchmeier.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

A session during the follow-up review News

Report Highlights the Potentials of UN Treaty Bodies Follow-Up Review at Regional Level

5 February 2024

Our Geneva Human Rights Platform just released the latest report of its third and final follow-up review pilot conducted in Nadi, Fiji, in collaboration with the Pacific Community and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Read more

A meeting of the Treaty Body Members Platform News

The Treaty Body Members Platform in 2023

18 January 2024

In 2023, the Treaty Body Members Platform continued to accompany members of UN treaty bodies to address crucial issues related to their work, along with contemporary human rights challenges.

Read more

Digital Justice Event

Digital Bridges to Justice: Enhancing Human Rights and SDG Monitoring through Innovative Technologies

3 July 2024, 13:15-14:30

This panel discussion will showcase the transformative potential of digital technologies in monitoring and implementing SDG 16, its interlinkages with other SDGs, and UN human rights recommendations.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

2-20 September 2024

Participants in this training course, made of two modules, will examine the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights and the environment, familiarizing themselves with the respective 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

11-15 November 2024

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 the UN Human Rights Committee Project

Treaty Body Review 2020 and Beyond

Started in January 2018

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributes to this review process by providing expert input via different avenues, by facilitating dialogue on the review among various stakeholders, as well as by accompanying the development of a follow-up resolution to 68/268 in New York and in Geneva.

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 Page of Research Brief Publication

Between Science-Fact and Science-Fiction Innovation and Ethics in Neurotechnology

published on May 2024

Milena Costas, Timo Istace

Read more