National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up

Background

One of the important developments in the field of human rights is the emergence of National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRFs). These are government structures mandated to coordinate and prepare reports to, and engage with, international and regional human rights mechanisms, including the UN Treaty Bodies, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and Special Procedures. They also address the implementation gap by initiating, coordinating and tracking national follow-up and implementation of obligations and recommendations emanating from these mechanisms.

Although the concept of national mechanisms is not recent, States and the United Nations have in recent years put more focus on establishing and reinforcing these national mechanisms as reflected in OHCHR’s publications on National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up: A Study of State engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms; and A Practical Guide to Effective State Engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms, bothpublished in 2016.

The establishment of NMIRFs was a key recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on treaty body strengthening in 2012 (A/66/860), paving the way for GA resolution 68/268 on “Strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the human rights treaty body system”. This resolution recognizes the need for improved coordination of reporting at the national level (para.20) and the importance of exchanging on best practices. In the framework of the 2020 treaty body review process provided for in para. 41 of GA Resolution 68/268, a report of the co-facilitators highlighted that the implementation of human rights recommendations would benefit from expanded, institutionalized follow-up at national level, such as through the introduction or strengthening of national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up.

With resolution 51/33, the Human Rights Council has now adopted four resolutions related to national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up. Resolution 30/25 (2015) encourages States to establish and strengthen national human rights follow-up systems and processes. Resolution 36/29 (2017) underlines the contribution of NMIRFs to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution 42/30 (2019) introduces implementation as one of the pillars of such mechanisms. In addition, in 2016 States created a Group of Friends to promote the agenda at the Human Rights Council.

Resolution 51/33

In October 2022, under the leadership of Paraguay and Brazil, the Human Rights Council adopted HRC resolution 51/33 requesting OHCHR to organize a one-day seminar in 2023 and another one in 2024 in Geneva, to facilitate sharing experiences among States with a view to improving their national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up.

The resolution also calls for the creation of a virtual knowledge hub to enable national mechanisms to share promising practices and facilitate the creation of an online community of practice, reflecting one of the recommendations resulting from the regional consultations organized in 2021 and captured in the June 2022 report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/50/64).

The one-day seminar foreseen for 2023 by HRC resolution 51/33 took place in Geneva on 23 June 2023 in room XVII in Palais des Nations, during the Human Rights Council 53rd session, and in a hybrid format. It aimed to fulfil two main objectives:

For participants to provide feedback on the National Mechanisms’ Hub requested by HRC resolution 51/33, in its mock up version of June 2023, including on how to improve user experience and design;
Exchange of practices and lessons and identification of key characteristics for an effective NMIRF institutional set up and mandate, based on theme 1 of the compilation of practices summarized in annex 1 of HRC report 50/64.

By its decision 55/115, the Human Rights Council postponed the organization of the intersessional seminar foreseen for 2024 and the launch of the virtual knowledge hub to 2025, owing to the liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations Secretariat.

HRC report 57/73 summarizing the practices and experiences shared during the seminar of 2023 as well as practices shared in other forums that complement or support the conclusions reached during the seminar was published for the 57^th session of the Human Rights Council (September-October 2024).

Other endeavours

Pledges in the framework of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Human Rights 75 Initiative, which was launched in December 2022, had three main objectives: promoting the universality and indivisibility of human rights; looking to the future; and bolstering the human rights ecosystem. Pledges were encouraged to bring about concrete change towards the greater enjoyment of human rights for all. Some States formulated pledges related to the establishment and strengthening of national mechanisms. OHCHR and other stakeholders committed to work with States to help them transform pledges into a reality.

Networks of national mechanisms

Efforts to foster experience-sharing have led to several initiatives around networks of national human rights focal points or national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up.

In 2023, a network of human rights focal points for Portuguese-speaking countries, was established during the Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries in São Tomé and Príncipe. The first meeting of the Network was held in June 2024. In 2023 and 2024, initiatives in the Caribbean and the Pacific led to an agreement to consider the creation of regional networks. At the global level, the international network of national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up was officially launched through the “Asuncion Declaration” on 9 May 2024, adopted during a meeting organized by Paraguay, attended by a total of 83 participants, including State representatives. The creation of the International Network was the result of a joint pledge by Morocco, Paraguay and Portugal.

Documentation

Implementation of resolution 51/33 on promoting international cooperation to support national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up- Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/57/73)
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Regional consultations on experiences and good practices relating to the establishment and development of national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up – Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/50/64)
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Invitation to Member States to attend the NMIRF Regional consultations on the implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 42/30
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National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up – A Practical Guide to Effective State Engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms
العربية | English | Français | русский | Español (PDF)

National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up: A Study of State Engagement with International Human Rights Mechanisms
العربية | English | Français | русский | Español (PDF)

The National Recommendations Tracking database- A digital information management tool forNational Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRF)
English | Français (PDF)

The status of National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up in Southern Africa, Practices, challenges and recommendations for effective functioning
English

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up

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