UN treaty bodies Archives - Page 14 of 17 - Center for Global Law and Justice

October 12, 2021

UN Bodies Advance Recognition of Human Right to a Healthy Environment

In the past week, three developments at the United Nations strengthened international recognition of the relationship between the health of our planet and human rights. On October 8, the UN Human Rights Council adopted its first-ever resolution to recognize the human right to a healthy environment. [OHCHR Press Release: Bachelet] That same day, the Council created a new special procedure, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. On October 11, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) published its decision concerning a complaint in which 16 children […]

September 23, 2020

States Elect Nine Members to the UN Human Rights Committee

On September 17, 2020, the States parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) filled nine seats on the United Nations Human Rights Committee. [Centre for Civil and Political Rights] Nine electees will begin four-year terms on January 1, 2021, while one additional electee will immediately fill a vacancy in a term ending on December 31, 2020. The elections will result in a changeover in six seats on the Committee; five States did not renominate their nationals who are current members of the Committee, and the member renominated by Mauritania was not elected. Current members who were […]

May 20, 2020

New CESCR General Comment 25 Analyzes Right to Scientific Progress

The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) has published new interpretation and guidance on the relationship between science and the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights. See CESCR, General comment No. 25 (2020) on science and economic, social and cultural rights, UN Doc. E/C.12/GC/25, 30 April 2020. In fleshing out Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Committee defines the scope of States’ obligation to support and share scientific research and the advances it makes possible, with regard to everyday life and in crises such as pandemics. The […]

May 13, 2020

Human Rights Committee Finds Russia Responsible for Torture of Chechens

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has found Russia responsible for violating the rights to fair trial and to be free from torture of six Chechen men who were unlawfully detained and tortured, in the North Caucasus region, between September 2004 and February 2005 before being convicted of terrorism related charges. See Human Rights Committee, Taysumov et al. v. Russia, Communication No. 2339/2014, Views of 11 March 2020, UN Doc. CCPR/C/128/D/2339/2014. The Human Rights Committee reminded Russia of its obligation to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the torture allegations and to prosecute those responsible, as well as to […]

March 11, 2020

Spanish Courts’ Handling of Obstetric Violence Violated CEDAW, Committee Finds

In its first decision regarding obstetric violence, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) has found that Spain violated the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) when domestic courts did not adequately assess a woman’s claims that she had been subjected to excessive and unnecessary exams, medication, and other interventions without her consent during labor, resulting in “lasting physical and mental trauma.” [OHCHR Press Release] The CEDAW Committee concluded that the domestic courts deferred to the hospital instead of respecting the principle of informed consent, relied on gender stereotypes, and […]

March 02, 2020

March 2020: UN Treaty Bodies, Human Rights Council, and Regional Bodies in Session

In March, universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State and civil society reports and country visits. Five United Nations treaty bodies and two pre-sessional working groups will be in session to assess States’ progress regarding economic, social and cultural rights; children’s rights; civil and political rights; the rights of persons with disabilities; and, migrants’ rights. The Human Rights Council will continue to hold its first of three regular sessions in 2020. Seven UN special procedures will conduct country visits in March. Additionally, two UN Working […]

January 31, 2020

February 2020: UN Treaty Bodies, Human Rights Council, and Regional Bodies in Session

In February, universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State and civil society reports and country visits. Four United Nations treaty bodies and one pre-sessional working group will be in session to assess States’ progress regarding children’s rights, women’s rights, the prevention of torture, and economic, social and cultural rights. The Human Rights Council will hold its first of three regular sessions. Eight UN special procedures will conduct country visits in February. Additionally, two UN Working Groups will hold sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. Regionally, the African […]

November 26, 2019

December 2019: UN Treaty Bodies & Regional Bodies in Session

In December, universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State and civil society reports and country visits. Two United Nations treaty bodies will be in session to assess States’ progress regarding the prevention of torture and the elimination of racial discrimination. Seven UN special procedures will conduct country visits in December. Additionally, two UN Working Groups will hold sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. Of the regional bodies, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), and the European Court […]

October 31, 2019

November 2019: UN Treaty Bodies, UPR Working Group & Regional Bodies In Session

In November, universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State and civil society reports and country visits. Five United Nations treaty bodies and one pre-sessional working group will hold sessions to assess States’ progress regarding women’s rights, civil and political rights, the prevention of torture, and the elimination of racial discrimination. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will also be in session and will conduct interactive dialogues with representatives from 14 States. Ten UN special procedures will conduct country visits in November. Additionally, two UN Working Groups will […]

October 02, 2019

Human Rights Committee Introduces Fixed Eight-Year State Review Schedule

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has announced changes that will generally reduce the frequency and comprehensiveness of its review of States parties’ implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). With its first Predictable Review Cycle, the Committee will review all 173 States parties to the ICCPR between 2020 and 2027. See OHCHR, The Predictable Review Cycle. The changes mean that each State party will be reviewed every eight years (instead of approximately every five years), the cycle will begin with a list of issues prepared by the Committee for the State to address (unless the […]

September 30, 2019

October 2019: UN Treaty Bodies & Regional Bodies in Session

In October, universal and regional human rights bodies and experts will review States’ compliance with their human rights obligations through the consideration of State and civil society reports and country visits. Four United Nations treaty bodies and two pre-sessional working groups will hold sessions to assess States’ progress regarding enforced disappearances; economic, social, and cultural rights; women’s rights; children’s rights; and civil and political rights. Nine UN special procedures will conduct country visits in October. Additionally, three UN Working Groups will hold sessions in Geneva. Of the regional bodies, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), European Committee on Social […]

September 05, 2019

Committee Against Torture Decides First Complaint on Sexual Violence in Conflict

The United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT) issued its first decision against the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, finding that rape and other acts of sexual violence constitute torture under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention), and ordering the State to pay “fair and adequate compensation” and provide free medical and psychological care to the victim. See Committee Against Torture, Mrs. A v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Communication No. 854/2017, Views of 22 August 2019, UN Doc. CAT/C/67/D/854/2017. This decision, which concerns the rape of a Bosnian woman in the early 1990s […]