Credit: UN Web TV
In February 2024, various regional and universal human rights bodies will hold sessions or hearings to continue their oversight and adjudication of human rights issues. For more information on each of the bodies mentioned, visit the Courts & Monitoring Bodies section of the IJRC Online Resource Hub.
At the regional level, the African and Inter-American human rights commissions and courts will be in session. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) is not scheduled to hold any hearings this month.
At the United Nations, the Human Rights Council will be in session, along with the human rights treaty bodies focused on discrimination against women; economic, social, and cultural rights; enforced disappearances; and, children. The UN special procedure mandate holders scheduled to carry out country visits in February include a visit by the Special Rapporteur on food, to Venezuela, and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, to the United Kingdom.
Finally, the OHCHR and special procedures have issued many calls for input with deadlines in February 2024, including for submissions related to: the right to development, migrants’ contributions, the status of the human rights treaty body system, the right to development and international development cooperation, legal capacity and informed consent of older persons, Indigenous persons with disabilities, civil society and international solidarity, academic freedom, and digital education, as well as forthcoming visits to Chile, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Peru, and the United Kingdom.
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) will hold its 72nd Ordinary Session from February 12 to March 8. Additional details will be publicized closer to the start of the session. Videos of the opening ceremony and delivery of the judgments will be available on the Court’s YouTube channel.
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Per the final communiqué from its last session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) will hold its 78th Private Ordinary Session, virtually, from February 23 to March 8. The session will not include public participation.
Separately, the ACHPR is seeking inputs to its draft Declaration on the Promotion of the Role of Human Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa, which may be submitted by March 31. [ACHPR Press Release]
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) is holding its 164th Regular Session from January 24 to February 9, 2024 in hybrid form from its seat in Costa Rica. [IACtHR Press Release (Spanish)] The Court will hold public hearings in seven cases, in addition to other activities.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) wil hold its 189th Period of Sessions from February 26 to March 7, in person at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Commission will hold public hearings concerning issues of concern and pending complaints, and is also accepting expressions of interest in three hearings the IACHR is organizing at its own initiative. [IACHR Press Release] Those hearings will address judicial independence, the situation of human rights defenders, and the human rights of older people. Expressions of interest in participating are due by February 1.
UN Human Rights Council
The Human Rights Council will hold its 55th regular session from February 26 to April 5, in Geneva. According to its agenda, the Council will hear the annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as other reports by the OHCHR, Secretary-General, and special procedure mandate holders on specific countries and topics. The documentation for the session is available online. The Council will appoint mandate holders to various special procedures, including those focused on the rights of Indigenous peoples, a democratic and equitable international order, the situation of human rights in Mali, a healthy environment, climate change, truth and justice, peaceful assembly and association, the rights of peasants, and the use of mercenaries. The Council will consider and adopt the final outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Djibouti, Germany, Russia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, and Uzbekistan.
Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review
The Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review is holding its 45th session from January 22 to February 2 to conduct the fourth cycle reviews for Belize, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo, Jordan, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nigeria, Senegal, and Saudi Arabia.
UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies
Various UN treaty bodies will convene this month. The full schedule can be viewed on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Teamup Calendar. Treaty bodies’ public activities, including constructive dialogues held as part of State party reviews, will be webcast on UN Web TV.
Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is holding its 95th Session from January 15 to February 2, in person in Geneva, Switzerland. The Committee has held constructive dialogues with Bulgaria, Congo, Lithuania, Russia, Senegal, and South Africa concerning their implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has also considered Senegal’s implementation of the two optional protocols, concerning child prostitution and children in armed conflict.
Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) is holding its 87th Session from January 29 to February 16, in person in Geneva. The Committee is holding constructive dialogues with the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Greece, Italy, Niger, Oman, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan concerning their implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) will hold its 75th Session from February 12 to March 1 in person in Geneva. The Committee will hold constructive dialogues with Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Mauritania, Romania, and Sweden, in addition to conducting follow-up to its concluding observations concerning Belgium and Kuwait.
Committee on Enforced Disappearances
The Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) will hold its 26th Session from February 19 to March 1, in person in Geneva. It will hold constructive dialogues with Cambodia, adopt the list of issues for Malawi, and conduct follow-up to its concluding observations concerning Panama. In addition, the CED will adopt a list of issues in absence of a report from Belize, and consider additional information submitted by Burkina Faso and Honduras.
Additional Information
To view human rights bodies’ past and future activities, visit the IJRC Hearings & Sessions Calendar. For more information on the various human rights monitoring bodies, visit IJRC’s Online Resource Hub. To stay up-to-date on international human rights law news, visit IJRC’s News Room.