The Treaty Body Members Platform in 2019

Geneva Academy

20 December 2019

The Treaty Body Members Platform, an initiative of the Geneva Human Rights Platform, connects experts in United Nations (UN) treaty bodies (TBs) with each other as well as with Geneva-based practitioners, academics and diplomats to share expertise, exchange views on topical questions and develop synergies.

‘This initiative facilitates collaboration across the various UN TBs, which is needed regarding both thematic issues and organizational ones’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier, Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

‘It also allows members of UN TBs to discuss issues of common concern with other actors – human rights ones and others – who work on the same subjects but often never discuss their respective approaches, as well as possible synergies and collaborations’ he adds.

The Rights of Child, Corruption and the 2020 Reform of UN Treaty Bodies

In 2019, the meetings hosted by the Geneva Human Rights Platform allowed peer exchanges among UN TBs experts and other Geneva-based actors on issues like the rights of the child, corruption, the 2020 review of UN TBs, missing persons, trafficking and prostitution, as well as individual complaints.

‘This initiative, which started back in 2014, managed to become a reference for UN TBs who want to discuss issues of common concern or exchange with other actors on specific thematic subjects. This year also allowed us to go beyond organizing meetings for UN TBs and start working with UN Special Procedures’ explains Felix Kirchmeier.