UN Treaty Bodies Photo: Flickr/UN Photo
The treaty bodies are international committees of independent experts that monitor State parties’ implementation of the core international human rights treaties and their optional protocols.
The treaty bodies’ functions include considering State parties’ periodic reports, adjudicating individual complaints, conducting country inquiries, adopting general comments interpreting treaty provisions, and organising thematic discussions related to the treaties.
In carrying out their work, treaty bodies consider information provided by the State parties but also from other actors including UN agencies, national human rights institutions and NGOs. For further information on working with the treaty bodies, see the module on UNTBs at the ISHR Academy.
ISHR supports human rights defenders and NGOs to access and leverage the treaty bodies to contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights on the ground. We also monitor and report on the treaty bodies’ examination of State reports and provide case notes on recent decisions on individual communications. ISHR is actively involved in advocacy around the ongoing treaty body strengthening process to ensure that the system is enhanced for the benefits of rights holders.
In 2024, national, regional, and international courts took action to protect and recognise the rights of human rights defenders. In this article, we explore some of the key cases that have shaped the legal landscape for those advocating for human rights.
During interactive dialogues at the 79th session of the General Assembly’s Third Committee, Treaty Body Chairs highlighted the financial constraints facing their work, compounded by the UN’s ongoing liquidity crisis.
At France’s review by the UN Human Rights Committee, the case of Adama Traoré illustrated grave concerns about police violence and impunity. The French government must now take concrete steps to implement the Committee's recommendations.
Two years after the publication of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' landmark assessment on the situation in the Uyghur region (Xinjiang), global scrutiny of China's human rights violations remains strong.
German activist and researcher Johannes Rohr filed an individual complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Committee after being unlawfully expelled from Russia only weeks after he publicly criticised Russian authorities’ treatment of their Indigenous communities.
The 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council (9 September - 11 October) will consider issues including intimidation and reprisals for cooperating with the UN, arbitrary detention, systemic racism, enforced disappearances, climate change, water and sanitation, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and people of African descent, among others.
Discover how the UN Treaty Bodies work and how you can use them to increase the impact of your advocacy.
Visit the ISHR Academy to find out more!
On April 15 2024, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the UN Secretary General on intimidation and reprisals against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in Macao since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in Hong Kong since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This page compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies - including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - on the human rights situation in China since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
On 12 May 2023, CEDAW conducted its sixth periodic review of China, Hong Kong and Macau. ISHR has developed an explainer on the Concluding Observations of the review, summarizing the key recommendations and how civil society can use them to assist documentation and advance change.
Following an earlier version of this submission of the same title in May 2022, this new ISHR report continues to document trends of reprisals in China in 2022-2023 with an analysis of extant cases, and further summarises the way in which it has portrayed civil society’s cooperation with the UN as a ‘criminal act’.
