Geneva, 28 August 2020
In the context of the 2020 review process of the UN human rights treaty bodies systems, the appointed co-facilitators, H.E. Ms. Pascale Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, convened two informal consultations with relevant stakeholders today in Geneva. These meetings are part of a treaty body review process which will culminate in September in a report by the Co-Facilitators with recommendations for action by the General Assembly.
The first informal consultation for Member States and Observers was held this morning from 10 am to 1 pm CET in Room XX in the Palais des Nations. The following items were discussed: simplified reporting procedures; harmonization and working methods; aligned methodology for constructive dialogue; fixed calendar; periodicity of the human rights treaty bodies sessions; concluding observations and recommendations, including their follow-up.
Please see the full recording of the consultation here.
The second informal consultation with civil society, National Human Rights Institutions and all other relevant stakeholders was held in the afternoon, from 3 to 6 pm Geneva.
TB-Net, the NGO Network on UN Treaty Bodies, to which IDA is an active member, has delivered three statements, focused on:
- the five overarching principles which should underpin any reform to the UNTB system, as highlighted in the Civil Society Proposals;
- strengthening the independence and impartiality of treaty body members, ensuring diversity and the participation of persons with disabilities;
- the need to enhance the regularity, predictability and universality of States Party reviews by introducing a fixed calendar 4-year review cycle with Comprehensive reviews alternating with Focused reviews, for all treaty bodies.
TB-Net also called on States to provide adequate resources for the treaty bodies to carry out their mandates and to support the advances by the treaty bodies themselves to stream-line and align their procedures and bring their work closer to the ground.
Please find the three full statements below:
Please see the full recording of the second consultation can be found here.
Background documents:
