Event information

7 May 2018, 12:30-14:30

Academic Platform on the 2020 Treaty Body Review: Launch of the final report

Event

Cover page of the report Cover page of the report

Representatives of states, civil society, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and treaty bodies members are cordially invited to the launch of the Geneva Academy report of the Academic Platform on the 2020 Treaty Body Review.

The report details proposals for strengthening the treaty body (TB) system for 2020 and beyond.

The 10 UN human rights TBs are a central pillar of the international human rights protection system. They prevent human rights violations by warning states about areas of concern and advising them on durable solutions that address the root causes of human rights violations.

In 2014, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/68/268 on strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the TB system. The 2020 horizon presents an opportunity to further reflect on the TB system’s future and to develop innovative proposals and solutions without weakening the human rights protection the TB system currently affords.

The Geneva Academy has initiated in 2015 a global academic process to develop proposals in this regard. Input was gathered via regional consultations, thematic conferences, and continued engagement with TB members, states, National Human Rights Institutions and civil society and individual submissions by all stakeholders.

OPENING REMARKS

  • Ambassador Valentin Zellweger, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in Geneva
  • Ambassador Elayne Whyte, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva

PRESENTATION OF THE GENEVA ACADEMY REPORT

  • Kamelia Kemileva, Executive Manager, Geneva Academy
  • Felix Kirchmeier, Director of Policy Studies, Geneva Academy

REMARKS FROM CIVIL SOCIETY

  • Victor Rodriguez Rescia, CCPR-Centre / TB-Net

REMARKS FROM OHCHR

  • Ibrahim Salama, OHCHR

VIDEO

Optimizing the UN Treaty Bodies System

Felix Kirchmeier and Kamelia Kemileva present our new publication Optimizing the UN Treaty Bodies System which outlines a series of recommendations related to the functioning o United Nations treaty bodies, considered a cornerstone of universal #humanrights protection.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

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

disops News

Impact of digital disinformation unpacked in new research brief series

9 April 2025

Our new series of Research Briefs examine the impact of digital disinformation and potential solutions for its regulation

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

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

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

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

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