SRI works at the UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies in partnership with national and regional civil society organisations and tracking recommendations made by treaty bodies on sexual rights. Committees assigned to a treaty will review its implementation by analysing reports submitted by States and contrasting that information with reports sent by civil society. 

We prepare stakeholder submissions to Treaty Monitoring Bodies Committees and provide technical assistance to civil society organisations wishing to make submissions to Treaty Bodies. We also contribute to Committees' debates, discussions, and panels when there is an opportunity to do so. 

 

 

Our Work on UN Treaty Bodies

2023 In Review
Last year, our work continued to highlight how sexual rights are profoundly impacted by the interrelated global crises brought on by capitalism through rampant neoliberalism, unchecked extractivism and climate degradation, violent populism and nationalism, soaring inequality within and between states, and entrenched patriarchal, racist, classist and ableist systems of oppression. Read below for our highlights of 2023.
Opportunities for feminist engagement in the UN human rights system
You'll find in this post the most recent opportunities for feminist engagement in the UN human rights system from February to April 2024.
SRI Submission on the Draft General Recommendation n°37 on Racial discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to health to be adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The suggested changes to the Draft General Recommendation proposed in this document are based on the joint submission, and focuses on the impact of systemic racism on global health systems, and consequent impact on people.
SRI BRIEFS: CERD submission summary: Racial Discrimination and the Right to Health

Summary of the submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to inform the elaboration of General Recommendation no 37 on racial discrimination and the right to health

Submitted by: Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), National Council of Women Leaders (NCWL), Dalit Human Rights Defenders Network (DHRDNet), International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Her Rights Initiative (HRI), and Alisa Lombard

 

Submissions

SRI Submission on the Draft General Recommendation n°37 on Racial discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to health to be adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The suggested changes to the Draft General Recommendation proposed in this document are based on the joint submission, and focuses on the impact of systemic racism on global health systems, and consequent impact on people.
SRI BRIEFS: CERD submission summary: Racial Discrimination and the Right to Health

Summary of the submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) to inform the elaboration of General Recommendation no 37 on racial discrimination and the right to health

Submitted by: Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), National Council of Women Leaders (NCWL), Dalit Human Rights Defenders Network (DHRDNet), International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Her Rights Initiative (HRI), and Alisa Lombard

Alternative report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: Sexual Rights in Paraguay

This alternative report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), for the review of the State of Paraguay, is a joint contribution between the Network Against All Forms of Discrimination of Paraguay, the CDIA (for its acronym in Spanish) - Coordinator for the Rights of Children and Adolescents of Paraguay, Akahatá - Task Force on Sexualities and Genders, SYNERGIA - Initiatives for Human Rights and SRI - Sexual Rigths Initiative; for the 95th session of the CRC.

Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: Racial Discrimination and the Right to Health
The main argument of this submission is that a tripartite approach is necessary in order for states to meet their obligations under CERD Article 5 (e)(iv) concerning access to health and healthcare of all people.

 

What are UN Treaty Bodies?

The Treaty Monitoring Bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor the implementation of international human rights treaties.

When States ratify a human rights treaty, they agree to periodically report to the respective Committee on the steps taken to ensure everyone in the State can enjoy the rights set out in the treaty. The Treaty Monitoring Bodies also develop and adopt General Comments or Recommendations to guide States in the implementation of the obligations set out in the human rights treaties.

To learn more about the Treaty Monitoring Bodies, please visit their website or watch this video produced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.