Our Publication on the Reform of UN Treaty Bodies Presented at the EU Working Party on Human Rights

Felix Kirchmeier at the informal meeting of the European Union (EU) Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) Felix Kirchmeier at the informal meeting of the European Union (EU) Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM)

25 September 2018

The two coordinators of the Academic Platform on Treaty Body Review 2020, Felix Kirchmeier and Kamelia Kemileva, presented our publication Optimizing the UN Treaty Bodies System at an informal meeting of the European Union (EU) Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM).

At this meeting, held in Vienna under the auspices of the EU’s Austrian Presidency, they shared with human rights experts from capitals and EU diplomats the main findings and recommendations entailed in the publications and discussed the UN treaty bodies strengthening process.

‘It’s a great opportunity for us to share the conclusions of a three-year consultative process with the body that handles all human rights aspects of EU’s external relations and that supports the EU Council's decision-making process in this area’ stresses Kamelia Kemileva.

‘Diplomats welcomed our independent approach, grounded in academic research and free from vested interests and institutional limitations, and recognized its key contribution to the 2020 process’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier.

Informal Meeting of the Working Party on Human Rights COHOM

About the Geneva Human Rights Platform

The Academic Platform on Treaty Body Review 2020 forms part of the Geneva Human Rights Platform (HRP).

The HRP provides a neutral and dynamic forum of interaction in Geneva for all stakeholders in the field of human rights – experts, practitioners, diplomats and civil society – to discuss and debate topical issues and challenges. Relying on academic research and findings, it works to enable various actors to be better connected, break silos, and, hence, advance human rights.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP in Davos News

AI and Human Rights in the Intelligent Age: GHRP in Davos

3 February 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributed to key discussions on AI, human rights, and sustainable digital governance at the World Economic Forum 2025.

Read more

MENA Training GHRP News

Strengthening MENA Engagement with UN Human Rights Mechanisms: Second Edition of our Tailored Training

24 July 2025

Participants from six countries across the Middle East and North Africa region joined our customized training on the Geneva-based United Nations human rights mechanisms

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Plastic pollution on an Italian shore Project

Unpacking the Human Right to a Healthy Environment: Definition, Implementation and Impact

Started in January 2022

This research aims at mainstreaming the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and the protection it affords in the work of the UN Human Rights Council, its Special Procedures and Universal Periodic Review, as well as in the work of the UN General Assembly and UN treaty bodies.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more