Taking the Discussions on the 2020 Treaty Body Review to the Next Level

Conference room in New York Conference room in New York

15 October 2019

In order to bring the substantive debates on the future of United Nations (UN) treaty bodies (TBs) from Geneva to the political discussions in New York, the Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) held with the Permanent Missions of Costa Rica and Switzerland a side event at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Before some 50 delegations, panelists addressed issues around the 2020 TB review.

Bringing the Geneva Expertise to New York

The Swiss Ambassador Jürg Lauber opened the event by underlining the importance of linking Geneva and New York. He recognized the ‘non-paper’ prepared by the Geneva mission of Costa Rica and supported by 44 states as an important contribution to the process and as a solid starting point for further intergovernmental deliberations in New York.

Hilary Gbedemah, president of UN TBs chairpersons recalled, along with Elena Kountouri from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the progress made by UN TBs since 2014 to strengthen and align their procedures.

Key stakeholders, including OHCHR and NGOs, completed the GHRP inputs on the 2020 TB review.

‘As the political process on the 2020 review will, over the coming months, move from Geneva to New York, it was important to present to New York-based diplomats the expertise built-up in Geneva within TB membership, OHCHR, civil society and academia. This will also encourage New York missions to solicit input from their colleagues in Geneva, which does not happen as automatically as one should think’ highlights Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the GHRP.

Next Steps

Following this public event, the GHRP will stay in close contact with the New York missions of Costa Rica and Switzerland and other interested actors in New York to feed more specific points into the discussions, focusing on an outcome resolution of the 2020 TB review process.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Podcast visual News

New Podcast Series on Women in International Law

29 January 2024

Women in International Law is a new podcast series of the Geneva Academy and ATLAS Network that showcases women with diverse experiences and career paths in the field.

Read more

ILGA World Logo News

In Highlight: ILGA World Database

28 March 2024

Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the March highlight of the directory: ILGA World Database.

Read more

Garment workersto receive food from their factory during lunch time. This food is freely provided by their factory in order to ensure that workers eat healthy and hygienic food. Training

Business and Human Rights

2-6 September 2024

This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.

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

Online folders Project

Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

Started in March 2023

This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.

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

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2023

published on July 2024

Read more