32nd meeting of Chairpersons

Report of the Chairs of the human rights treaty bodies to the General Assembly: A/75/346

Due to COVID-19, the 32nd meeting of Chairs scheduled from 1-5 June 2020 at UN HQ in New York did not take place as scheduled.

An informal meeting of Chairs of treaty bodies took place on-line without interpretation from 2-5 June 2020.

The 32nd meeting of Chairs took place on-line with interpretation in the three working languages (English, French, Spanish) from 27-30 July 2020 to deal with the most pressing agenda items. Namely, agenda item 3. General Assembly review of the treaty body system in 2020 and, agenda item 9. Any other business, the working methods and tools of treaty bodies in relation to COVID-19 and the substantive input of treaty bodies in relation to COVID-19.

It will not be possible to webcast the public meetings of the 32nd meeting due the unavailability of services. However, the audio of the public meetings can be accessed here. 

• Draft revised agenda & revised programme of work 
  
• Opening statement by Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights
• Joint NGO Statement ahead of the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Chairpersons of the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies
• Joint NGO submission to the co-facilitators of the General Assembly review of resolution 68/268 on the human rights treaty body system
  

Outcomes of the meeting:

1. Cover letter of the Chairs [5 August 2020]

2. Written contribution to co-facilitators [4 August 2020]

• Letter - Human Rights Committee [16 July 2020]
  
• Letter - Committee on Enforced Disappearances [24 July 2020]
  
• Letter - Several experts [6 July 2020]
  
• Discussion paper informal WG on COVID-19
  
• Table of activities informal WG on COVID-19
  

B. Establishment of WG on COVID-19

3. Terms of reference (draft)

Press release: Work of human rights treaty bodies at risk, warn UN Committee Chairs

Documentation prepared for the 32nd Chairs meeting which was considered at the resumed 32nd Chairs meeting on 2 October 2020

• Provisional agenda and annotations (HRI/MC/2020/1)
  
• Mapping the practices of treaty bodies on intimidation and reprisals and identifying issues that need further action by the Chairs (HRI/MC/2020/2/Rev.1)
• Mapping the practices of treaty bodies on the Addis Ababa guidelines: key challenges and further steps to operationalize the guidelines (HRI/MC/2020/3)
• Compliance by States parties with their reporting obligations to international human rights treaty bodies

• Workshop for French-speaking delegations in NY on 2020 review. (29 October 2019) Concept Note / Programme / Workshop
  
• 2020 and Beyond; Vision for the treaty body system. Panel discussion with Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies. (15 October 2019)
  
• Side event on Perspectives on the 2020 treaty body review (8 October 2019)
  

Side events in parallel to the 74th session of the General Assembly

• Workshop for French-speaking delegations in NY on 2020 review. (29 October 2019) Concept Note / Programme / Workshop
  
• 2020 and Beyond; Vision for the treaty body system. Panel discussion with Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies. (15 October 2019)
  
• Side event on Perspectives on the 2020 treaty body review (8 October 2019)