Human Rights Treaty Bodies - General Comments

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Human Rights Bodies - General Comments

The human rights treaty bodies publish their interpretation of the content of human rights provisions, in the form of general comments on thematic issues.

The general comments of each treaty body are listed on their respective web pages: CCPR, CESCR, CERD, CEDAW, CAT, CRC. The CMW has not yet issued any general comments.

Note that both CERD and CEDAW refer to their general comments as "general recommendations".

This page presents the general comments of all treaty bodies with keywords added to assist in identifying the range of subjects covered in each general comment and the linkages between the general comments of the different treaty bodies.

The general comments of all human rights treaty bodies are compiled annually in the document HRI/GEN/1/Rev.7.

Click here for a list of keywords.

Table of General Comments of All Treaty Bodies

No.	Subject	Keywords	Art.	Body	Date
1	Reporting obligation [GC1 has been replaced by GC30]	Reporting; late reporting	40	CCPR	1981
2	Reporting guidelines	Reporting; reporting guidelines; form and content of reports; legislative measures; implementation; constructive dialogue	40, 2	CCPR	1981
3	Implementation at the national level	Implementation; enjoyment of human rights; publication of rights in national languages; human rights education; training of national officers	2	CCPR	1981
4	Equal enjoyment of civil and political rights by men and women	Reporting; equality between the sexes; sex discrimination; affirmative action; special measures; immigration law; marriage; non-citizens; right to hold public office; international cooperation	3	CCPR	1981
5	Derogations	Public emergency; derogation; exceptional and temporary nature of derogations; duty to inform	4	CCPR	1981
6	Right to life	Right to life; inherent right to life; war; use of force; genocide; propaganda; incitement to violence; arbitrary killing; security forces; missing and disappeared persons; infant morality; life expectancy; malnutrition; disease, death penalty; abolition of death penalty; procedural guarantees	6	CCPR	1982
7	Prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment	Reporting; Torture; cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; integrity and dignity of individual; derogation; detention; safeguard; procedural guarantees; corporal punishment; excessive chastisement; pupils; patients; solitary confinement; medical or scientific experimentation; consent	7	CCPR	1982
8	Right to liberty and security of persons	Reporting; Right to liberty; right to security of the person; humane treatment; detention; lawful detention; procedural guarantees; pre-trial detention; excessive delay	9	CCPR	1982
9	Humane treatment of persons deprived of their liberty	Reporting; Right to liberty; right to security of the person; humane treatment; detention; integrity and dignity of individual; hospitals; correctional institutions; segregation of convicted and accused; segregation of juvenile offenders; rehabilitation; presumption of innocence	10	CCPR	1982
10	Freedom of opinion	Reporting; right to hold opinion without interference; freedom of expression; mass media; limitations and restrictions;	19	CCPR	1983
11	Prohibition of propanganda for war or inciting national, racial or religious hatres	Reporting; propaganda; war; incitement to violence; incitement to discrimination; racial discrimination; racial hatred; religious hatred; self-defence; self-determination	20	CCPR	1983
12	Right to self-determination	Reporting; self-determination; political status; development; natural wealth; natural resources; non-self governing territories; trust territories; non-interference in internal affairs of States	1	CCPR	1984
13	Administration of Justice (equality before the courts and right of a fair and public hearing by an independent court established by law)	Reporting; equality before the law; right ot fair and public hearing; procedural guarantees; equal access; independent judiciary; public hearings; presumption of innocence; criminal justice; juvenile offenders; miscarriage of justice	14	CCPR	1984
14	Right to life		6	CCPR	1984
15	Position of aliens under the Covenant			CCPR	1986
16	Right to privacy		17	CCPR	1988
17	Rights of the child		24	CCPR	1989
18	Non-discrimination			CCPR	1989
19	The family		23	CCPR	1990
20	Prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment		7	CCPR	1992
21	Humane treatment of persons deprived of their liberty		10	CCPR	1992
22	Freedom of thought, conscience or religion		18	CCPR	1993
23	Rights of minorities		27	CCPR	1994
24	Reservations to the Covenant or Optional Protocols or declarations under article 41 of the Covenant		41	CCPR	1994
25	Participation in public affairs and the right to vote		25	CCPR	1996
26	Continuity of obligations			CCPR	1997
27	Freedom of movement		12	CCPR	1999
28	The equality of rights between men and women		3	CCPR	2000
29	Derogations during a state of emergency		4	CCPR	2001
30	Reporting obligations of States parties under article 40		40	CCPR	2002
31	The nature of the general legal obligation imposed on States parties			CCPR	2004
1	Reporting by States parties	Reporting; reporting obligations; reporting process; purpose of reporting	16 and 17	CESCR	1989
2	International technical assistance measures	Technical assistance; international cooperation; development	22	CESCR	1990
3	Nature of States parties' obligations	Implementation; measures; legislative measures; judicial remedies; progressive realization; minimum core obligation; available resources; technical assistance; international cooperation; development	2(1)	CESCR	1990
4	Right to adequate housing	Housing; adequate standard of living; adequate housing		CESCR	1991
5	Persons with disabilities	Disability; persons with disabilities; positive action; equality and non-discrimination; work; social security; family; mother and child; adequate standard of living; physical and mental health; education; participation in cultural life; scientific progress; accessibility	3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15	CESCR	1994
6	The economic, social and cultural rights of older persons	Older persons; equality and non-discrimination; work; social security; family; adequate standard of living; physical and mental health; education; participation in cultural life; disability; accessibility	3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15	CESCR	1995
7	Right to adequate housing: forced evictions	Housing; adequate housing; forced eviction; internal displacement; refugees; civil and political rights; armed conflict; development; legislative measures; non-discrimination; women; children; older persons; indigenous people; ethnic minorities; vulnerable groups; effective remedy; Geneva Conventions; adequate compensation; procedural guarantees; ICCPR	11(1), 2(1). ICCPR 2(3), 17(1)	CESCR	1997
8	Relationship between economic sanctions and respect for economic, social and cultural rights	Economic sanctions; food; water; health; education; work; humanitarian assistance; vulnerable groups; children; CRC; continuing obligations of affected State; obligations of imposing State	2(1), 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15	CESCR	1997
9	Domestic application of the Covenant	Implementation; national-level implementation; legal and judicial remedies; effective remedy; direct or indirect incorporation in national law; justiciability of ESCR; self-executing provisions; status of treaty in national courts;	2(1). ICCPR 2(3)(b)	CESCR	1998
10	Role of national human rights insitutions in the protection of economic, social and cultural rights	National human rights institutions (NHRIs); indivisibility and interdependence of human rights; human rights education; scrutiny; technical assistance; benchmarks and indicators; monitoring; complaints	2(1)	CESCR	1998
11	Plans of action for primary education	Education; primary education; compulsory free primary education; indivisibility and interdependence of human rights; plan of action; progressive realization; technical assistance	13, 14. CRC, CEDAW	CESCR	1999
12	Right to adequate food	Food; adequate food; adequate standard of living; female-headed households; development; technical assistance; international cooperation; indivisibility and interdependence of human rights; implementation; sustainability; progressive realization; minimum core obligation; non-discrimination; legislative measures; national-level implementation; benchmarks and indicators; policy-making; monitoring;	11	CESCR	1999
13	Right to education	Education; women; children; right to receive an education; equality; non-discrimination; accessibility; primary education; secondary education; technical and vocational education; higher education; fundamental education; development; policy-making; school system; educational insitutions; freedom of religion; freedom of expression; freedom of opinion; freedom of conscience; minimum standards of education; academic freedom; non-nationals; CERD; CEDAW; CRC; UNESCO; ILO; corporal punishment; progressive realization; minimum core obligation; legislative measures; international cooperation;	13	CESCR	1999
14	Right to the highest attainable standard of health	Health; highest attainable standard of health; food; adequate housing; work; education; human dignity; life; equality and non-discrimination; torture; privacy; access to information; freedom of association; freedom of assembly; freedom of movement; indivisibility and interdependence of human rights; water; environment; HIV/AIDS; accessibility; mother and child; reproductive health; prevention, treatment and control of diseases; health services; women; children; older persons; persons with disabilities; indigenous peoples; legislative measures; female genital mutilation; minimum core obligation; national-level implementation; polic-making; benchmarks and indicators; effective remedy; justiciability of ESCR; national human rights institutions (NHRIs); international cooperation	12. CERD 5(e)(iv), CEDAW 11(1)(f) and 12, CRC 24	CESCR	2000
15	Right to water	Water; adequate standard of living; adequate food; health; housing; human dignity; indivisibility and interdependence of human rights; accesibility; equality and non-discrimination; access to information; women; children; indigenous peoples; refugees; internal displacement; older persons; persons with disabilities; environment; sustainability; minimum core obligation; plan of action; vulnerable groups; national-level implementation; legislative measures; policy-making; development; governance; international cooperation.	11. CEDAW 14(2), CRC 24(2)	CESCR	2002
1	States parties' obligations		4	CERD	1972
2	States parties obligations			CERD	1972
3	Reporting by States			CERD	1972
4	Reporting by States: demographic composition of the population		9	CERD	1973
5	Reporting by States		7	CERD	1977
6	Overdue reports			CERD	1982
7	Legislation to eradicate racial discrimination		4	CERD	1985
8	Identification with a particular racial or ethnic group		1(1) and (4)	CERD	1990
9	Independence of experts		8 (1)	CERD	1990
10	Technical assistance			CERD	1991
11	Non-citizens			CERD	1993
12	Successor States			CERD	1993
13	Training of law enforcement officials in protection of human rights			CERD	1993
14			1(1)	CERD	1993
15			4	CERD	1993
16			9	CERD	1993
17	Establishment of national institutions to facilitate implementation of the Convention			CERD	1993
18	Establishment of an international tribunal to prosecute crimes against humanity			CERD	1994
19	Racial Segregation		3	CERD	1995
20			5	CERD	1996
21	Right to self-determination			CERD	1996
22	refugees and displaced persons		5	CERD	1996
23	Rights of indigenous peoples			CERD	1997
24			1	CERD	1999
25	Gender-related dimensions of racial discrimination			CERD	2000
26			6	CERD	2000
27	Discrimination against Roma			CERD	2000
28	Follow-up to the World Conference against Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance			CERD	2002
29	Descent		1(1)	CERD	2002
30	Non-citizens			CERD	2004
1	Reporting by States parties			CEDAW	1986
2	Reporting by States parties			CEDAW	1987
3	Education and public information			CEDAW	1987
4	Reservations			CEDAW	1987
5	Temporary special measures			CEDAW	1988
6	Effective national machinery and publicity			CEDAW	1988
7	Resources			CEDAW	1988
8	---		8	CEDAW	1988
9	Statistical data concerning the situation of women			CEDAW	1989
10	Tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women			CEDAW	1989
11	Technical advisory services for reporting obligations			CEDAW	1989
12	Violence against women			CEDAW	1989
13	Equal remuneration for work of equal value			CEDAW	1989
14	Female circumcision			CEDAW	1990
15	Avoidance of discrimination against women in national strategies for the prevention and control of AIDS			CEDAW	1990
16	Unpaid women workers in rural and urban family enterprises			CEDAW	1991
17	Measurement and quantification of the unremunerated domestic activities of women and their recognition in the gros national product			CEDAW	1991
18	Disabled women			CEDAW	1991
19	Violence against women			CEDAW	1992
20	Reservations			CEDAW	1992
21	Equality in marriage and family relations			CEDAW	1994
22	Amending art. 20		20	CEDAW	1995
23	Political and public life			CEDAW	1997
24	Women and health		12	CEDAW	1999
25	Temporary special measures		4(1)	CEDAW	2004
1	Refoulement and communications		3 and 22	CAT	1996
1	The aims of education			CRC	2001
2	The role of independent human rights institutions			CRC	2002
3	HIV/AIDS and the rights of the child			CRC	2003
4	Adolescent Health			CRC	2003
5	General measures of implementation for the Convention on the Rights of the Child			CRC	2003

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