History of treaty body strengthening

There have been four major reform initiatives by the UN between 1988 and 2014.

Treaty body strengthening process (2009-2014)

In 2009, the High Commissioner launched a series of consultations to consider how the system could be strengthened. This culminated in her report of June 2012 where a range of proposals was made, together with an analysis of the added value and cost.

The report was a result of a series of consultations to reflect among all stakeholders how the system could be strengthened. Many of the proposals in Navi Pillay’s report informed and inspired resolution 68/268, such as the expansion of the simplified reporting procedure, establishing stricter word limits, the common core document, etc.

In parallel, in 2012 the GA set up an inter-governmental working group, which led (after a 2 year State negotiation in New York) to the adoption of GA resolution 68/268 on strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the treaty body system in April 2014.

The Unified Standing Treaty Body (2006)

The High Commissioner’s proposal of a unified standing treaty body 2006: Louise Arbour.

The Single Report (2002-2006)

Kofi Annan produced two reports dealing with the human rights treaty body system in 2002 and in 2005 his report ‘In Larger Freedom’ on the future of the organization which identified as challenges the duplication of reporting requirements and poor implementation of recommendations. Kofi Annan proposed that harmonized guidelines on reporting to all treaty bodies should be finalised and implemented so that these bodies can function as a unified system. The harmonized reporting guidelines were adopted in 2006 and are currently still being used.

The Alston Proposals (1988-1996)

Reports by the IE Philip Alston (1988-1996): now 30 years ago, at the time there were only 6 treaty bodies, which already highlighted non reporting and a number of other key concerns that remain relevant today and raised concerns about the sustainability of the system. One of Philip Alston’s proposals was the preparation of ‘consolidated reports’. No consensus was reached on this proposal to consolidate reports into a single global report covering all six human rights treaties.