Treaty bodies

In addition to ones laid down in its Charter, the United Nations system includes bodies created under international treaties on the protection of human rights. In charge of monitoring the implementation of human rights covenants and , they meet three times a year in New York or Geneva. Upon an examination of the reports provided by governments, each of these committees issues recommendations to the State considered regarding the domestic implementation of the Convention it covers. Most of these committees may also examine individual communications (complaints) from persons who believe that their rights have been violated.

The bodies are the Human Rights Committee (CCPR), the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD),the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),the Committee Against Torture (CAT), the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW), and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Each treaty body may also issue general comments interpreting and clarifying the provisions of its particular treaty.

Update : July 2010