Treaty bodies and the growing backlog of State party reports (HRC47, 2021, Joint-OS)

June 22, 2021

On behalf of the NGO Network on UN Treaty Bodies (TB-Net), IMADR delivered the joint statement on “Treaty bodies and the growing backlog of State party reports” at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or downloaded here

———

Joint Oral Statement: 47th session of the Human Rights Council

Item 2: Interactive Dialogue on the Annual Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

21 June 2021

Madam President,

This is a joint statement delivered on behalf of seven organizations[1] which form TB-Net (NGO Network on UN Treaty Bodies).

We thank the High Commissioner for presenting the annual report. We express our appreciation of efforts undertaken by OHCHR to support the treaty bodies to continue their work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We particularly welcome that all treaty bodies have started piloting online reviews of States parties in the current absence of in-person meetings.

Nevertheless, we are increasingly concerned that the limited number of online reviews that can be undertaken in a single treaty body session has led to a sharp increase in the backlog of State party reports pending consideration. To prevent significant protection gaps, it is critical to stem the growing backlog of State party reports and avoid delays to other activities of the treaty bodies.

We agree with the High Commissioner that the treaty bodies’ work relies significantly on in-person interactions.[2] As such, in order to ensure that treaty bodies examine State party reports and effectively discharge their mandates, we urge OHCHR to identify concrete steps that would enable in-person meetings to be resumed no later than the autumn sessions of 2021.[3] We also call on States to support and cooperate with the treaty bodies and OHCHR in such efforts including through providing sufficient resources.

Thank you.

[1] Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR-Centre), Child Rights Connect, Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GIESCR), International Disability Alliance (IDA), International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), International Womens’ Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW-Asia Pacific) and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)

[2] A/HRC/47/54, paragraph 134

[3] See our statement at the 33rd Meeting of Chairpersons of the Human Rights Treaty Bodies, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/Annual-meeting/TB-Net-Statement.docx

Share on:

Related Content

Joint NGO Statement: URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR THE UN TREATY BODIES

Public Statement by Civil Society Organisations on the Occasion of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Chairpersons of the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies 12 June 2025 The undersigned civil society organisations issue this statement at a time of profound crisis of the UN, and the human rights mechanisms in particular. The international human rights treaties are an essential part of the UN’s human rights ecosystem and form the legal backbone of the international human rights system. The work of the Treaty Bodies is crucial in monitoring States parties’ implementation of international human rights treaties and in providing authoritative guidance on the fulfilment of obligations. Treaty Bodies deliver justice to individual victims, […]
June 16, 2025

CERD 115th session summary: Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine

From 22 April to 9 May 2025, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held its 115th session. During the session, CERD reviewed and adopted concluding observations on the reports of Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine. Highlights of the session included: Follow-up reports for Croatia, Germany, Morocco, Uruguay and Tajikistan were reviewed. Work was done to develop a joint general comment/recommendation on addressing and eradicating xenophobia and its impact on the rights of migrants, their families and other non-citizens affected by racial discrimination. A half-day general discussion to develop its general recommendation on reparations for the injustices of the transatlantic trade in enslaved […]
May 14, 2025

【Event Recap】Act Now! Time to adopt anti-discrimination law in Japan

To celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March), IMADR and the Japan NGO Network for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ERD-Net) organised the event on 19 March 2025. Approximately 100 people participated, including the general public, members of Parliament and the media.         (Photo: “Act Now! Time to adopt anti-discrimination law in Japan”) ICERD and Japan  In 1995, Japan acceded to ICERD under the following conditions: Without adjusting the domestic legal framework as to support the implementation of the Convention With reservation to Article 4 (a) and (b) on the prohibition of hate speech Without declaring its acceptance of the competence of […]
March 26, 2025

CERD 114th session summary:Armenia, Ecuador, Greece, Kenya, Monaco and Saudi Arabia

From 25 November to 13 December 2024, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) held its 114th session.  In this session, the Committee reviewed and adopted concluding observations on the reports of Armenia, Ecuador, Greece, Kenya, Monaco and Saudi Arabia as well as the list of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) on Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, and Seychelles. The Committee further adopted the follow-up report for Portugal.  CERD also held joint in-person discussions with the Committee on Migrant Workers to develop a joint general comment/recommendation on addressing and eradicating xenophobia and its impact on the rights of migrants, their families and other non-citizens affected by racial discrimination in […]
December 16, 2024
TOP