Geneva Academy
18 June 2019
At a meeting co-organized with the permanent missions of Costa Rica and Japan to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Geneva-based diplomats discussed the current status of the 2020 review of UN treaty bodies (TBs), upcoming milestones, as well as the proposals submitted by various stakeholders, including states, members of TBs, NGOs and academics.
‘Short inputs from all stakeholders informed the discussion and showed a promising amount of convergence in positions, both on the fundamental aim of any review – the strengthening of human rights protection – as well as on the concrete and specific measures such as the alignment of working methods of TBs. A majority of states present also agreed on the merit of clustering state reports and dialogues, as a means to avoid unnecessary overlap in structure and substance’ explains Felix Kirchmeier, Coordinator of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.
‘These proposals will inform the third and final report of the UN Secretary-General, which will formulate a series of recommendations to strengthen the work of UN TBs and will constitute the main source of information for delegations who will negotiate the follow-up resolution to 68/268 next spring ’ stresses Felix Kirchmeier.
The 2020 review is a unique occasion to improve the work of UN TBs.
‘While TBs are based in Geneva, the negotiations are taking place in New York. It is therefore essential to feed the negotiations in New York with the expertise we have in Geneva’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier.
CCPR Centre
Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the current highlight of the directory: ICCPR Follow-up World Maps
Wikimedia
Our latest research brief, 'Sending Up a Flare: Autonomous Weapons Systems Proliferation Risks to Human Rights and International Security' examines the proliferation of autonomous weapons systems and consequent risks to security and human rights.
Mission Suisse / Alain Grosclaude
The opening lecture of the 2025 Spring Semester will be given by Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council and the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations.
Adobe
This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.
CCPR Centre
The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.
The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributes to this review process by providing expert input via different avenues, by facilitating dialogue on the review among various stakeholders, as well as by accompanying the development of a follow-up resolution to 68/268 in New York and in Geneva.
Geneva Academy