Final Report of the Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series

In 2022, the Chairs of the Treaty Bodies (TBs) agreed on an eight-year cycle for full reviews with mid-term follow-up reviews. This approach aims to reduce the review burden on States, ensure equal treatment, and maintain system cost-effectiveness. The follow-up reviews, focusing on up to four priority issues, provide timely attention to critical matters while balancing cost and resource demands. The OHCHR, when developing an action plan to implement these conclusions, proposed three follow-up review options: direct correspondence, hybrid/online dialogue, and in-situ visits. The consultations did not result in a consensus among states, and preferences varied. However, several stakeholders, including a coalition of prominent international CSOs, emphasized the need for a 'meaningful mid-term exercise', and highlighted the importance of an interactive dialogue between the Committee and the state delegation, as well as the engagement of all relevant stakeholders.

Domenico Zipoli, Project Coordinator of the Geneva Human Rights Platform, explained, 'In response to the move towards a predictable review calendar and regular mid-term follow-up reviews, the GHRP considered it crucial to explore how follow-up reviews could be undertaken at the national and regional levels, thereby making the UN TB system more relevant, responsive and closer to rights holders and duty-bearers.'

The Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series was designed to assess the effectiveness of holding follow-up review sessions at both national and regional levels. The primary objectives were to:

1. Foster closer engagement with national and local stakeholders to ensure the practical implementation of human rights obligations.
2. Identify best practices and challenges for follow-up reviews.
3. Enhance the overall efficiency and impact of UN human rights treaty bodies.

The initiative tested two distinct of models: national-level and regional-level follow-up reviews:

• National-Level Follow-Up Reviews: These reviews provided in-depth engagement with local stakeholders, fostering cooperation among national actors and improving the understanding of the UN human rights treaty body system. This in-country model allowed members from different treaty bodies to gain firsthand insights into human rights issues and implementation challenges, resulting in more relevant and context-specific recommendations.
• Multi-country Regional-Level Follow-Up Reviews: These reviews facilitated broader cooperation and the sharing of best practices among multiple countries. A key feature was the emphasis on utilizing UN regional hubs to enhance cooperation and accessibility for several countries within a region. This approach not only strengthened accountability but also ensured more context-specific and effectively disseminated recommendations from multiple treaty bodies.

The final report of the pilot series was launched at two key events in New York and Geneva. The first launch, a side-event to the 36th Annual Meeting of Treaty Body Chairpersons, took place in New York on 28th June 2024. The second launch, a side-event to the 56th Human Rights Council session, was held in Geneva on 9th July 2024. The recording of the second event can be accessed here.

Discussions at both events stressed the need to develop a meaningful and context-sensitive follow-up review procedure, enhancing the overall efficiency and impact of the UN human rights treaty bodies.

'A national or regional level follow-up review not only brings visibility to the UN treaty body system but also provides an opportunity for states, particularly small states, and their civil society counterpart to effectively engage. It enables a larger number of ministries as part of the delegation to participate, which might otherwise be difficult during Geneva reviews due to cost implications. As observed during these follow-up reviews, it also allows UN treaty body members to see firsthand the implementation of treaty provisions, and make practical recommendations' underlined Steve Onwuasoanya, Head (ag), Human Rights Unit, Commonwealth Secretariat.

The final report of the Treaty Body Follow-Up Review Pilot Series underscores the potential of both national and regional follow-up reviews in fostering the practical implementation of human rights obligations. Recommendations include adopting a regional model for follow-up reviews, including “roving delegations” where members from multiple TBs conduct follow-up review sessions at regional UN offices according to a predictable schedule. This method enhances state participation, fosters collaboration, and reduces financial burdens. Other recommendations include targeted regional follow-up review sessions for LDCs and SIDS and – as a minimum - employing online or hybrid dialogues as follow-up reviews to ensure inclusive and comprehensive engagement.

'These recommendations, particularly the adoption of a regional follow-up review model, could significantly improve state reporting and implementation, as well as provide critical guidance for the upcoming General Assembly resolution on the human rights treaty body system in December 2024. The Geneva Human Rights Platform remains committed to supporting the continuous improvement and strengthening of UN human rights treaty bodies through innovative initiatives and collaborative efforts.', explained Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

The final report is available for download here.

For further details on the initiative, visit our dedicated portal.