28/21 Report of the Secretary-General on measures taken to implement resolution 9/8 and obstacles to its implementation, including recommendations for further improving the effectiveness, harmonization and reform of the treaty body system - Note by the Secretariat

GE.14-23890

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Human Rights Council Twenty-eighth session

Agenda item 2

Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner

for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the

High Commissioner and the Secretary-General

Report of the Secretary-General on measures taken to implement resolution 9/8 and obstacles to its implementation, including recommendations for further improving the effectiveness, harmonization and reform of the treaty body system

Note by the Secretariat

1. In its resolution 9/8, the Human Rights Council requested the Secretary-General to

report annually to the Council on measures taken to implement the resolution and on

obstacles to its implementation, including recommendations for further improving the

effectiveness of harmonizing and reforming the treaty body system, and to seek the views

of States and other stakeholders in this regard.

2. In its resolution 68/268, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to

present to the Assembly, on a biennial basis, a comprehensive report on the status of the

treaty body system and the progress achieved by the treaty bodies in achieving greater

efficiency and effectiveness in their work, including the number of reports submitted and

reviewed per Committee, the visits undertaken where applicable, the individual

communications received and reviewed per Committee, the state of the backlog, capacity-

building efforts and results achieved, as well as the situation in terms of ratifications,

increased reporting and the allocation of meeting time and proposals, including on the basis

of information and observations from Member States, on measures to enhance the

engagement of all State parties in the dialogue with the treaty bodies. The first report of the

Secretary-General prepared pursuant to resolution 68/268 will be submitted to the

Assembly in 2016.

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3. In the light of the current overlapping reporting obligations, the report of the

Secretary-General to be prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 9/8 has

been postponed and will be submitted to the Council at its twenty-ninth session. The

Secretary-General has requested the Secretariat to bring these circumstances to the attention

of the Council.