Promoting Quality Independent and Diverse Treaty Body Membership

The ten United Nations (UN) human rights treaty bodies (TBs) oversee the implementation by states of the international legal obligations they accept when they become a party to the relevant treaties. While their contribution to human rights protection is important, they are little known to non-expert audiences.

Our new Working Paper Promoting Quality, Independent and Diverse Treaty Body Membership discuss the membership of UN TBs, a key issue to ensure proper human rights protection and the credibility of the overall system.

Written by Dr Claire Callejon – a leading expert on UN TBs functioning –, it starts by identifying the current shortfalls and then moves to propose concrete solutions for a more institutionalized, open and transparent selection process to ensure quality, independent and diverse TB membership.

AUTHOR

Portrait of Claire Callejon

Claire Callejon

Research Consultant

Her areas of expertise include international human rights law, the United Nations Human Rights machinery and refugee law.

NEWS AND EVENTS

A session of the UN Human Rights Committee News

Promoting Quality, Independent and Diverse Treaty Body Membership

23 November 2021

Our new Working Paper Promoting Quality, Independent and Diverse Treaty Body Membership discuss the membership of UN treaty bodies, a key issue to ensure proper human rights protection and the credibility of the overall system.

Read more >

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

MENA Training GHRP News

Strengthening MENA Engagement with UN Human Rights Mechanisms: Second Edition of our Tailored Training

24 July 2025

Participants from six countries across the Middle East and North Africa region joined our customized training on the Geneva-based United Nations human rights mechanisms

Read more

Sign: National Human Rights Commission of Nepal Project

Local Implementation of Global Human Rights

Started in May 2020

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.

Read more

View of a session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

Human Rights Conversations

Started in January 2020

A series of events aimed at discussing contemporary issues and challenges related to the promotion and protection of human rights in Geneva and beyond.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more