Event information

9 December 2024, 09:00-12:30

Informal Meeting on the Treaty Bodies Harmonization Mechanism

Event

United Nations Geneva United Nations Geneva

The Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Directorate of International Law of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, are organizing a two day meeting to give an opportunity to Treaty Body Chairpersons and focal points on Working Methods and harmonization to identify possible ways forward to improve the harmonization of procedures via the new advisory mechanism for harmonization detailed in the conclusions of the 2024 Chairperson meeting.

The meeting will start with an open segment, in the morning of 9 December, allowing for exchanges with states and civil society on the current state of the strengthening process and the 2024 resolution recently passed at the General Assembly. After this segment, the meeting will continue in a private setting, only open to Treaty Body Members.

Program


09:00 - 09:30 Arrival at Venue / Welcome Coffee

09:30 - 10:00 Welcome and Opening

  • Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, OHCHR
  • H.E. Sandra Lendenmann, Vice Director, Directorate of International Law, Swiss.Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
  • Suzanne Jabbour, Chairperson of SPT and of the 2024 Chairperson meeting
  • Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the GHRP

10.00 - 12.30 Exchange with Member States and Civil Society with coffee break

  • Current Status of the Treaty Body Strengthening Process
  • Recent GA resolution on Treaty Bodies
  • Advisory mechanism for harmonization
  • Regular and predictable reporting calendar
  • Digitalization and hybrid settings
  • AOB

12:30 End of Open Segment of the Meeting

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP Diplomat Training News

Strengthening Diplomacy: GHRP Training Course Enhances Engagement with UN Human Rights

5 February 2025

The GHRP’s annual training equipped 19 diplomats with key insights into the UN Human Rights Council’s mechanisms and multilateral processes.

Read more

GHRP in Davos News

AI and Human Rights in the Intelligent Age: GHRP in Davos

3 February 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributed to key discussions on AI, human rights, and sustainable digital governance at the World Economic Forum 2025.

Read more

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Booklet Training

The International Human Rights Standards and System: Monitoring and Implementation Strategies at the National Level

7-11 July 2025

This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.

Read more

Asian workers working at technology production factory with industrial machines Training

Business and Human Rights

19-23 May 2025

This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

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

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more

Cover Page of Research Brief Publication

United Nations Treaty Body Individual Communications Procedures: What Is at Stake in the Strengthening Process?

published on October 2024

Claire Callejon

Read more