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Simplified Reporting Procedure
Treaty Bodies
In 2014, the General Assembly, through its resolution 68/268 encouraged the human right treaty bodies to offer to States parties for their consideration the simplified reporting procedure (SRP) and to set a limit on the number of questions included in the lists of issues prior to reporting (para. 1). It also encouraged States parties to consider the possibility of using the SRP, when offered, to facilitate preparation of their reports and the interactive dialogue on the implementation of their treaty obligations (para. 2).
At their 34th annual meeting (30 May to 3 June 2022), the Chairs of the treaty bodies concluded: “While the simplified reporting procedure will be the default procedure for all Committees, except the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, which do not have this process, the States parties can choose to opt for the traditional reporting procedure;…” (A/77/228, para. 55, No. 1 (d)).
At their 35th annual meeting (29 May to 2 June 2023), the Chairs of the treaty bodies reaffirmed the default character of the SRP for all treaty bodies with a periodic reporting procedure and that it apply to both – initial and periodic – States parties’ reports: “The Chairs reaffirm that the generalization of the simplified reporting procedure, with the help of digital tools, will shorten the currently prevailing long duration between the submission of a State party report and its review by the Committee and that the simplified reporting procedure will assist States parties in the preparation and submission of more focused reports. The Chairs conclude that the simplified reporting procedure will become the default procedure for all Committees for both - initial and periodic - reports, with the possibility for the States parties to opt out, except for the Committee on Enforced Disappearance that, for the time being, only applies its procedure of an examination of a State party in the absence of a report for those whose initial reports are due for five years or more and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, which does not have such a procedure.” (A/78/354, para. 87).
All treaty bodies offer the SRP to States parties; details on the modalities are outlined below. Some Committees had already offered or had already decided to offer the SRP prior to the adoption of GA Res. 68/268 in 2014. Under the SRP the reporting cycle starts when the relevant treaty body sends a list of issues prior to reporting (LOIPR) to a State party. The replies by the State party to the LOIPR constitute the State party report.
Simplified reporting cycle vs the standard reporting cycle. Contributions of stakeholders within the reporting cycle
General Guidelines and tools for treaty body reporting applied to those States parties who have opted-out of the SRP
All States parties should submit a common core document according to the guidelines contained in document HRI/GEN/2/Rev.6
Unified table on the Simplified Reporting Procedure
| Treaty Body | Application | Decision | Guidelines | Dedicated web page |
| Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) | At its 110th session held in August 2023, CERD decided to open the simplified reporting procedure to all States parties to the International Convention on all Forms of Racial Discrimination, on an opt-in basis. Due to capacity constraints, in 2024 CERD decided to implement the simplified reporting procedure incrementally, prioritizing the preparation of lists of issues prior to reporting for those State parties whose reports to the Committee are most overdue (10 years or more) among those that opted in. All other State parties are requested to continue with the regular reporting procedure until further notice. As the Committee’s capacity to implement the simplified reporting procedure grows, it will communicate to the additional States parties that opted in when they can expect to receive a list of issues prior to reporting. | N/A | States parties should follow CERD specific guidelines - CERD/C/2007/1, guidelines for initial reports under the standard procedure or guidelines for periodic reports under the standard procedure. States parties that have opted-in to the SRP should send written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting. These replies constitute the report under Article 9 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Part II). | For internal use only |
| Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) | First phase applied as a voluntary procedure for a limited number of States based on pre-determined criteria. Second phase – the decision to apply by default with an opt-out option based on the predictable review calendar – once that will be in force. For the time being this has not yet started in 2023). States should report according to the standard procedure. | N/A | Written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute the report under Articles 16 and 17 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Part IV). Once the PRC and SRP are implemented for CESCR, States Parties that opt out of the SRP should follow the general reporting guidelines under the standard procedure. | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure |
| Human Rights Committee (CCPR) | Applied by default as an opt-out procedure based on the predictable review calendar | Amended Rule 73 of the Rules of Procedure Decision on additional measures to simplify the reporting procedure Study on the impact of the SRP - CCPR/C/123/3 | Written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute the report under Article 40 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Part IV). State parties that opt-out of the SRP should follow the guidelines for treaty specific documents. | |
| Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) | Applied by default as an opt-out procedure. | Written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute the report under Article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Part V). States parties that opt out of the SRP should follow the guidelines and tools for treaty reporting | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure | |
| Committee against Torture (CAT) | Optional Reporting Procedure | A/62/44, paras. 23 and 24 | The written replies of the State Party to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute its report under Article 19 of the Convention Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. States parties that have not availed themselves of this option, should follow the Committee’s specific guidelines for initial reports (CAT/C/4/Rev.3) and the guidelines for periodic reports (CAT/C/14/Rev.14) under the traditional procedure. | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure |
| Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) | Applied by default as an opt-out procedure. | Convention on the Rights of the Child: Decision 18 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict/Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography: Decision 17 | Written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute the State party’s report under Article 44 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Part II) States parties that opt out of the SRP should follow the guidelines for periodic reports (CRC/C/58/Rev.3) | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure |
| Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW) | Applied by default as an opt-out procedure since 4 April 2022 when the CMW moved from an opt-in to an opt-out procedure. | A/77/48, page 2, Decision 34/3, and para. 14 Rules 33 and 34 of its Rules of Procedure (CMW/C/2) | Written replies to the list of issues prior to reporting constitute the State party’s report under Article 73 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (Part VII). States parties that opt-out of the SRP should follow the guidelines for initial reports (HRI/GEN/2/Rev.2/Add.1) or guidelines for periodic reports (CMW/C/2008/1) | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure before the CMW moved to an opt-out procedure |
| Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | The Committee decided to establish the SRP as the default procedure for periodic reports. It also decided that this procedure may be applied to long overdue initial reports. State party may opt-out of the SRP within one year of the Committee’s adoption of concluding observations. Note Verbale and Annex | Rules of procedure CRPD/C/1/Rev.2, rule 48bis, 48ter, page 16-17 | Submission of reports under the Simplified Reporting Procedure | |
| Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) | The SRP does not apply. Nonetheless, after five-year delay, the Committee can decide to review a State in the absence of a report. | N/A | Guidelines for the review of States in the absence of a report under Article 29(1) of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Part II). | N/A |