Ahead of the UN General Assembly Review of the UN treaty body system in 2020, NGOs from different parts of the world present their proposals with the aim to contribute to the discussions about strengthening the treaty bodies. Both proposals stress that the ultimate goal of the 2020 review should be the improved promotion, protection and realization of all human rights on the ground.
The Civil Society Proposals are the result of NGO consultations, initiated by TB-Net (the NGO Network on Treaty Bodies of which the OMCT is a member), in which international, regional and local NGOs participated. They seek to attain regular, predictable and universal state reporting, in a coordinated manner, based on a fixed calendar. The proposals further introduce an alternating two-level reporting cycle of comprehensive and focused reviews. A state would be reviewed every four years: with full reviews in Geneva every eight years followed by a focused review four years later. The focused review could take place either in the concerned State, at a regional UN quarter or in Geneva, depending on the specific circumstances. The proposed reporting cycle builds on the model developed by the treaty body Chairs persons, while reinforcing the view that the treaty bodies are part of one system and strengthening the follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations adopted by the treaty bodies.
The second initiative, the civil society position paper urges the UN member States to reaffirm and fulfil their obligations set out in General Assembly resolution 68/268 and to provide adequate resources for the treaty body system enabling the treaty bodies to function effectively in accordance with all aspects of their mandates.
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