New Research Brief Discusses the Role of National Human Rights Systems in Implementing International Human Rights Standards and Recommendations

session of the Commission on Human Rights and Citizenship, Santiago session of the Commission on Human Rights and Citizenship, Santiago

25 June 2020

All domestic actors – whether governmental state actors, independent state institutions or civil society organizations – play multiple roles to ensure the implementation of international human rights standards and recommendations. In doing so, they cooperate with one another and establish diverse and country-specific strategies for human rights monitoring and implementation.

Our new Research Brief Beyond the 2020 Treaty Body Review: The Role of National Human Rights Systems discusses the approach, methodology and objectives of our new research project that aims at gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses affecting different National Human Rights Systems (NHRSs).

A Timely Research

In light of the Treaty Body Review 2020 and related calls for increased stakeholder connectivity, it is important to understand whether the current international human rights system may benefit from improved coordination and leveraging of synergies at the national level.

‘As the United Nations (UN) Treaty Body Review 2020 draws towards its conclusion, it is time to focus on the domestic level and assess the role of national monitoring and implementation strategies’ explains Domenico Zipoli, Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy and author of the Research Brief.

Analysing a Wide Variety of NHRSs

Given the variety of NHRSs, the research aims to detect best practices that are most effective in both the monitoring and implementation of UN human rights recommendations. It does so by comparing existing national strategies within distinct NHRSs.

‘Collecting such data and best practices will greatly assist in determining the effectiveness of monitoring and follow-up mechanisms put in place by both UN and national human rights bodies’ underlines Domenico Zipoli.

Expected Outputs

The project’s outputs and results will be presented at the end of 2020.

‘Three main contributions can be expected at this point. Firstly, the strengths and weaknesses that will stem from each NHRS under analysis can inform other countries’ initiatives of domestic human rights institutionalization. Secondly, highlighted best practices may assist further efforts towards increased connectivity amongst domestic actors and UN human rights mechanisms. Lastly, a stronger focus on the national human rights ‘infrastructure’ may also be useful to inform the preparations of future treaty body and UN Human Rights Council review processes’ stresses Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform and Manager of Policy Studies at the Geneva Academy.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

Mô Bleeker News

UNSG Special Adviser Mô Bleeker Becomes Senior Fellow at the Geneva Academy

15 April 2025

Mô Bleeker, UNSG Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, shares how her work as Senior Fellow at the Geneva Academy contributes to our shared goals.

Read more

Human Rights Tiles News

From Signals to Action: Strengthening the UN's Conflict Prevention Efforts

31 March 2025

Our recent research brief series explores how the United Nations' human rights system can enhance its role in early warning and conflict prevention.

Read more

Enforced Disappearances Event

'Short-term' Enforced Disappearances

23 September 2025, 13:00-14:00

This side event will bring together stakeholders to discuss the growing concerning recurrence to short-term enforced disappearances worldwide, and the challenges they pose for victims and accountability.

Read more

Special Rapporteur Sign Event

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in an Era of Escalating Armed Conflict: Where Can International Human Rights Law Help?

25 September 2025, 18:30-20:00

This evening dialogue will present the publication: International Human Rights Law: A Treatise, Cambridge University Press (2025).

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

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

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

Read more

Online folders Project

Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

Started in March 2023

This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more