Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme

The Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme was created as one of the outcomes of the 2009-2014 treaty body strengthening process. Recognizing that many States have difficulties meeting their multiple reporting obligations, GA resolution 68/268 mandated the establishment of a new team to "support States parties in building their capacity to implement their treaty obligations".

The programme was established in 2015 with 10 human rights officers based in the OHCHR regional offices around the world and a support team based in Geneva. Working closely with the UPR Trust Fund on Implementation and the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation, the Programme carries out a variety of capacity building activities – online and in person – supporting the engagement of States and other stakeholders with UN human rights mechanisms.

What can the Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme offer?

Ratifying a human rights treaty is not an end in itself, but a means to increase the protection and promotion of human rights. The Programme therefore supports the implementation of recommendations from human rights mechanisms (Treaty Bodies, UPR and Special Procedures) and works with stakeholders who can help strengthen these processes. It offers general assistance with ratifications, reporting, follow-up and implementation as well as in relation to other procedures of human rights mechanisms such as individual communications. The Programme works with a range of actors, including States, National Human Rights Institutions, UN country teams and civil society.

National Mechanisms on Reporting and Follow-up

A key area for the Programme is support to the establishment and effective functioning of National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up (NMRFs). These government mechanisms institutionalize key functions of the reporting and follow-up process: coordination between government entities, consultation with key stakeholders, information management, and engagement with the human rights mechanisms.

Read more about the 2021 regional consultations; five global meetings for States to exchange experiences and good practices on NMRFs.

More information about NMRFs in theory and practice:

• Practical Guide on National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-Up
• Study on National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up with case examples

National Recommendations Tracking Database

The National Recommendations Tracking Database (NRTD) is an interactive web application developed to support the work of National Mechanisms for Follow-up and Review (NMRF). Governments can use the platform to cluster and prioritize recommendations addressed to them by human rights mechanisms, develop action plans for their implementation, and coordinate follow-up action across line ministries. The NRTD is currently being rolled out with a number of States as part of building the capacity of their NMRF structures.

More information about the NRTD:

• From Norms to Implementation: What is the NRTD?
• An introduction to the NRTD (video, 1:52)

Universal Human Rights Index

The Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI) is the public portal to the recommendations issued by the UN human rights mechanisms. The database allows to explore recommendations and observations from Treaty Bodies, Universal Periodic Review and Special Procedures through a range of human rights themes, groups of concerned persons, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Resources

To support States in their engagement with human rights mechanisms, the Programme team has developed a number of tools and publications that are freely available:

• OHCHR Training Guide on Reporting to the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies
• OHCHR Online training on reporting to Human Rights Treaty Bodies
• Treaty Body reporting documentation tools for States Parties and Permanent Missions
• OHCHR Training Guide on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• OHCHR Training Guide on Reporting under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• OHCHR Training Guide on Reporting under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
• OHCHR Practical Guide on Preventing Torture: The Role of National Preventive Mechanisms

Upcoming publications:

• Practical Manual on the Roles and Operations of Independent Monitoring Mechanisms foreseen under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) art. 33 (2)

Contact information

For any enquiries regarding the Programme, please feel free to contact us at ohchr-tbcbp@un.org