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UN staff, including eight OHCHR colleagues, detained in Yemen
OHCHR calls for their immediate release.
Treaty Bodies
What are the treaty bodies?
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.
The treaty bodies meet in Geneva, Switzerland. All the treaty bodies receive support from the Human Rights Treaties Division of OHCHR in Geneva.
Note: Due to the current liquidity situation of the United Nations Secretariat and associated cash conservation measures, the modalities of treaty body plenary sessions and country visits for the remainder of the year may need to be adjusted and not all pre-sessional Working Groups may take place. Pending further confirmation, we encourage you to check the individual Committee’s session webpages for further information and updates as the situation evolves
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
Monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (4 January 1969).
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
Monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (3 January 1976).
Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
Monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (23 March 1976) and its optional protocols.
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 (3 September 1981).
Committee against Torture (CAT)
Monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (26 June 1987).
Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2 September 1990) and its optional protocols.
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 (1 July 2003).
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) (22 June 2006) visits places of detention in order to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (3 May 2008).
Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
Monitors implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (23 December 2010).
Key documents
The United Nations Human Rights Treaty System Fact Sheet No. 30/Rev.1
The Human Rights treaty bodies: protecting your rights Booklet English
Guidelines against Intimidation or Reprisals (‘San José Guidelines’)
Informal, unedited translations:
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(These informal, unedited translations were produced by an external service provider with a view to facilitate exchanges on the OHCHR Working Paper. The English language version of this document contains the original text.)
Executive summary of the Working Paper:
العربية | 中文 | English | Français | русский | Español
Presentation of the Working Paper:
English