28 June 2024, 13:15-14:30
Event
Geneva Academy
This side-event to the 36th Annual Meeting of the Treaty Bodies Chairpersons, co-organized with the Permanent Missions of Switzerland and Tonga to the UN in New York, the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Commonwealth Secretariat aims to present the findings of the Geneva Human Rights Platform's Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series. The event will inform improvements in the follow-up review procedure as part of the new eight-year cycle for full reviews. The initiative, conceived as corollary to the broader treaty body strengthening process, involved pilot follow-up reviews in Sierra Leone (2021), Grenada (2022), and the Pacific Region (2023). Specifically, the objectives included assessing the effectiveness holding follow-up review sessions at the national and regional levels, fostering closer engagement with national and local stakeholders to ensure the practical implementation of human rights obligations, and identifying best practices and challenges in the follow-up process.
These pilots tested two models: national-level and regional-level follow-up reviews. National-level follow-up reviews provided in-depth engagement with local stakeholders, fostering cooperation among national actors and improved understanding of TB expectations. They also allowed TB members to grasp real situations, leading to more relevant and context-specific recommendations. Regional follow-up reviews enhanced broader cooperation and the sharing of best practices among multiple countries. A key aspect of these reviews was the emphasis on maximizing the use of UN regional hubs, which facilitate improved cooperation and accessibility for several countries in the region. This approach not only strengthened accountability but also ensured more context-specific and effectively disseminated TB recommendations. Discussions will cover the pros and cons of both approaches, guiding the development of a more effective and context-sensitive follow-up review procedure, enhancing the overall efficiency and impact of the UN human rights treaty bodies.
A light lunch will be provided before the event.
Geneva Academy
The GHRP’s annual training equipped 19 diplomats with key insights into the UN Human Rights Council’s mechanisms and multilateral processes.
Geneva Academy
The 2024 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP), held on 5 November at Maison de la Paix, focused on the theme Human Rights System Under Pressure: A Reason to Expand Connectivity.
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.
UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
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.
Olivier Chamard/Geneva Academy
CCPR Centre
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.
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy