Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

In view of the 2020 United Nations (UN) Treaty Body (TB) Review recommendations, we are conducting a series of pilot follow-up reviews (previously called focused reviews), carried out at the national level between the TBs reporting cycles. These reviews are designed to discuss how countries implement specific recommendations issued by UN TBs, bringing, in such a way, UN TBs closer to the regional and national levels – and ultimately closing the implementation gap.

The decision by United Nations (UN) treaty body (TB) Chairs to adopt ‘an eight-year review cycle for full reviews, with follow-up reviews in between’ highlights the necessity to enhance follow-up procedures, especially considering the extended interval between country interactions with TBs. Given this new 8-year cycle, it becomes crucial to explore how follow-up reviews could be undertaken at the national and regional levels, thereby making the UN TB system more relevant, responsive and closer to rights holders and duty bearers.

Our pilots aim to test this new format. The pilots carried out in Sierra Leone and Grenada tested the modalities for follow-up reviews at the national level. The most recent pilot in the Pacific region tested the modalities of a regional model for follow-up reviews.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Final Report of the Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series News

Final Report of the Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series

16 July 2024

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has released the final report of its Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series, marked with presentations at the United Nations in New York and Geneva.

Read more >

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 >

Group photo of participants to the pilot review News

Successful Final UN Human Rights Treaty Body Pilot Took Place in Fiji

18 December 2023

In November, our Geneva Human Rights Platform – in partnership with the Pacific Community and the Commonwealth Secretariat – conducted its third and final UN human rights treaty body follow-up review pilot in Nadi, Fiji.

Read more >

TEAM

Picture of Felix Kirchmeier

Felix Kirchmeier

Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Felix Kirchmeier is the Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Picture of Domenico Zipoli

Domenico Zipoli

Project Coordinator and Senior Research Fellow

His research focuses on the question of connectivity among international human rights mechanisms and on national strategies for monitoring, implementation and follow-up of international human rights obligations and recommendations.

Portrait of Victoire Berrebi

Victoire Berrebi

Project Assistant at the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Victoire Berrebi is a Project Assistant at the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

Publications

Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series: Final Report

2024

Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Download >

Project Report: Follow-up Review in the Pacific Region

2024

Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Download >

Cover of the publication

Project Report: Treaty Body Focused Review Pilot of Grenada

2022

The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Download >

Cover of the publication

Project Report: Treaty Body Focused Review Pilot of Sierra Leone

2022

The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Download >

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

SIDS Training GHRP News

Practical Training on Human Rights Council Procedures Strengthens SIDS/LDCs Engagement

21 July 2025

Sixteen diplomats from fifteen Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries participated in a two-day Practical Training on Human Rights Council Procedures.

Read more

neurotech image News

Research Brief Evaluates the Human Rights Implications of Neurotechnology in Therapeutic and Commercial Applications

27 March 2025

Our research brief, Neurotechnology and Human Rights: An Audit of Risks, Regulatory Challenges, and Opportunities, examines the human rights implications of neurotechnology in both therapeutic and commercial applications.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

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

Sign: National Human Rights Commission of Nepal Project

Local Implementation of Global Human Rights

Started in May 2020

The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.

Read more

Madagascar, Miarinarivo district. Women transplanting rice. Project

The Rights of Peasants

Started in May 2008

After having provided academic support to the negotiation of the UN Declaration for ten years, this research project focuses on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more