Human Rights Treaty Bodies

Monitoring the core international human rights treaties

What are the treaty bodies?

Image: Palais Wilson, Geneva. Seat of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Photo: J. Turpin 2005 The human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties. Each State party to a treaty has an obligation to take steps to ensure that everyone in the State can enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.

There are ten human rights treaty bodies composed of independent experts of recognized competence in human rights, who are nominated and elected for fixed renewable terms of four years by State parties

Which treaties do they monitor?

Human Rights Committee (CCPR) monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) and its optional protocols;

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966);

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965);

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and its optional protocol (1999);

Committee against Torture (CAT) monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (1984);

Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and its optional protocols (2000);

Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990);

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006);

Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) monitors implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006); and

The Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) established pursuant to the Optional Protocol of the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) (2002) visits places of detention in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The treaty bodies meet in Geneva, Switzerland. All the treaty bodies receive support from the Human Rights Treaties Division of OHCHR in Geneva.

More information about the treaty bodies...

Recent Developments and Events

Upcoming elections for treaty body membership

Strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system - Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
E F S R A C

Report of the Chairs of the human rights treaty bodies, June 2015

San José Guidelines against Intimidation or Reprisals

Addis Ababa Guidelines on the independence and impartiality of treaty body members

Statements

International Women’s Day Statement by United Nations Women’s Human Rights Experts

7 March 2017

Statement by Sir Malcolm Evans, Chairperson of the Subcommittee on prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment at the 71st session of the General Assembly

18 October 2016

Statement by Jens Modvig, Chairperson, Committee against Torture at the 71st session of the General Assembly Third Committee, Item 68 (a & c)

18 October 2016

Opening statement by Mr. Adam Abdelmoula Director, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division at the 44th session of the Board of Trustees

3 October 2016

Feature Stories

Relatives of inmates stand outside prison to see family in Tibilisi, Georgia. Georgia has made great strides in improving prison conditions via OPCAT membership.© EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE

Preventing torture before it happens: Ten years of the Optional Protocol
“The OPCAT mandate is the most ambitious and powerful tool within the UN human rights,” said Malcolm Evans, chair of the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture. He was speaking on the 10 anniversary of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
18-11-2016

Women are restricted access to, or banned from, certain occupations in 100 countries. © Creative commons

Women’s rights body rules on Russian banned jobs list complaint
A UN women’s rights committee calls on Russia to amend a list of 456 jobs and 38 industries prohibited to women.
22-04-2016

Vanuatu State officials participate in a CEDAW training given by OHCHR Office in the Pacific. © Credit OHCHR/Satya Jennings

Vanuatu: translating human rights standards into actions
Vanuatu government officials have learned how to prepare to report on how they help women achieve their rights.
18-03-2016