April 2017: Eight UN Working Groups, Treaty Bodies in Session

In the month of April, various universal bodies will assess States’ compliance with their human rights obligations by conducting country visits, engaging in interactive dialogues, and reviewing reports from States and civil society. Four United Nations treaty bodies will meet to engage with States regarding their treaty obligations pertaining to the rights of persons with disabilities, the rights of migrants, torture, and racial discrimination. Four UN Special Rapporteurs will conduct country visits, and four Working Groups will meet in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss issues pertaining to people of African descent, the right to development, arbitrary detention, and the use of mercenaries.

The UN treaty body sessions may be watched via UN Web TV. To view human rights bodies’ past and future activities, visit the IJRC Hearings & Sessions Calendar.

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 17^th Session

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will continue to hold its 17^th session in Geneva, Switzerland, which began on March 20 and ends on April 12. According to the programme of work, the CRPD will consider State reports from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Cyprus, Honduras, Iran, Jordan, and Republic of Moldova to evaluate their implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. After considering the States’ reports and submissions from civil society, the CRPD will adopt concluding observations on each State, noting areas of concern and providing recommendations. The CRPD will also consider and adopt lists of issues prior to reporting concerning El Salvador, Hungary, Peru, and Spain and lists of issues for Panama. The Committee adopts lists of issues prior to reporting as part of its simplified reporting procedure in which the State’s response to the lists of issues constitutes its report.

According to the agenda, the CRPD will also discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with UN bodies, specialized agencies, and other organizations to better promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities; review the progress of the Working Group on the right to live independently and to be included in the community; consider the implementation of a General Assembly resolution on increasing the effectiveness of the human rights treaty body mechanism; and review complaints under the Convention’s Optional Protocol.

To view session documents, including the agenda, State party reports, and submissions from civil society, visit the 17^th session webpage. To follow the session online, visit the live webcast. For more information about the CRPD, visit IJRC’s website.

Committee on Migrant Workers 26^th Session

The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families will hold its 26^th session from April 3–13 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee will review the State reports of Bangladesh, Jamaica, and Nigeria regarding their compliance with the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The Committee will then issue concluding observations on each State reviewed, noting its challenges to compliance and its positive developments. The Committee will also consider and adopt lists of issues for Algeria and lists of issues prior to reporting for Egypt, Madagascar, and Mozambique for those States to respond to prior to their review.

To view session documents, including the provisional agenda, information from the Secretariat, State party reports, and submissions from civil society, visit the 26^th session webpage. To follow the session online, visit the live webcast. For more information about the Committee, visit IJRC’s website.

Committee Against Torture 60^th Session

The Committee Against Torture (CAT) will hold its 60^th session from April 18 to May 12 in Geneva, Switzerland. The CAT will hold interactive dialogues with Afghanistan, Argentina, Bahrain, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Republic of Korea regarding their implementation of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. After reviewing these States’ reports and submissions from civil society, the CAT will adopt concluding observations, noting positive developments and offering recommendations for improved implementation of the Convention. At this session, the CAT will also adopt lists of issues for Rwanda and lists of issues prior to reporting for Colombia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Romania, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for those States to respond to prior to their review.

Additionally, according to the programme of work, the CAT will meet with the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, discuss a revised draft of the General Comment on Article 3 of the Convention, meet with the Chairperson of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) for a presentation of the SPT’s annual report, and hold an informal meeting with non-governmental organizations.

To view session documents, including the provisional agenda, programme of work, State party reports, and submissions from civil society, visit the 60^th session webpage. To follow the session online, visit the live webcast. For more information about the CAT and SPT, visit IJRC’s website.

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 92^nd Session

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) will hold its 92^nd session from April 24 to May 12 in Geneva, Switzerland. The CERD will review the State reports of Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Kenya, and Republic of Moldova to assess their implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. After reviewing the States’ reports, the CERD will issue concluding observations, noting challenges to and positive developments in implementing the Covnention. According to the provisional agenda and proposed programme of work, the CERD will also discuss follow up activities to the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance and will hold informal meetings with non-governmental organizations and States parties.

To view session documents, including State party reports and submissions from civil society, visit the 92^nd session webpage. For more information about the CERD, visit IJRC’s website.

UN Special Procedures

Four UN special procedure mandate holders will conduct country visits in April, and four working groups will hold sessions in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is scheduled to visit Indonesia from March 22 to April 3.

The Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment is scheduled to visit Uruguay from April 24 to April 28.

The Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context is scheduled to visit Chile from April 20 to April 28.

The Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples is scheduled to visit Australia from March 20 to April 3.

The Working Group of experts on people of African descent will hold its 20^th session from April 3 to April 7 in Geneva, Switzerland. On April 5, the Working Group will consult with civil society in order to strengthen their partnerships and consider the current challenges of racial discrimination.

The Working Group on the right to development will hold its 18^th session from April 3 to April 7 in Geneva, Switzerland in which it will hold an interactive dialogue with experts.

According to the OHCHR’s calendar of meetings and events for 2017, the Working Group on arbitrary detention will hold its 78^th session from April 19 to April 28 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination will hold its 30^th session from April 24 to April 28 in Geneva, Switzerland.

During country visits, independent experts assess issues specific to their thematic focus as well as the overall human rights situation of a country. Experts often meet with members of civil society, government officials, and representatives of national human rights institutions while on a visit to a country. Following each visit, experts prepare reports for submission to the Human Rights Council and General Assembly. See OHCHR, Country and Other Visits of Special Procedures.

To view the full list of forthcoming country visits, visit the OHCHR website. For more information about each special procedure, visit IJRC’s website.

Additional Information

For more information about the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the Committee on Migrant Workers; the Committee Against Torture; the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment; the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context; the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples; the Working Group of experts on people of African descent; the Working Group on arbitrary detention; or the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub.