Two New Joint NGO Proposals - Towards a Strengthened and Effective UN treaty body system
Ahead of the UN GeneralAssembly Review of the UN treaty body system in 2020, NGOs from differentparts of the world present their proposals with the aim to contribute to thediscussions about strengthening the treaty bodies. Both proposals stress thatthe ultimate goal of the 2020 review should be the improved promotion,protection and realization of all human rights on the ground.
The Civil Society Proposals are the result of NGO consultations,initiated by TB-Net (the NGO Network on Treaty Bodies of which the OMCT is amember), in which international, regional and local NGOs participated. Theyseek to attain regular, predictable and universal state reporting, in acoordinated manner, based on a fixed calendar. The proposals further introducean alternating two-level reporting cycle of comprehensive and focused reviews.A state would be reviewed every four years: with full reviews in Geneva every eightyears followed by a focused review four years later. The focused review couldtake place either in the concerned State, at a regional UN quarter or inGeneva, depending on the specific circumstances. The proposed reporting cycle buildson the model developed by the treaty body Chairs persons, while reinforcing the view thatthe treaty bodies are part of one system and strengthening the follow-up on theimplementation of the recommendations adopted by the treaty bodies.
The second initiative, the civil society position paper urges the UNmember States to reaffirm and fulfil their obligations set out in GeneralAssembly resolution 68/268 and to provide adequate resources for the treaty body system enabling thetreaty bodies to function effectively in accordance with all aspects of theirmandates.