A/HRC/30/20
United Nations human rights treaty bodies, for example, the use of appropriate indicators is
a way to help State parties make precise and relevant information available to the treaty
bodies, and to help them assess progress in the implementation of State obligations under
the treaties.73
36.
OHCHR has developed a conceptual and methodological framework of indicators
that can be applied and contextualized through participatory processes at the national level.
The framework recommends the development of structural, process and outcome
indicators. This configuration should help assess the steps being taken by States in
addressing their obligations – from commitments and acceptance of international human
rights standards (structural indicators) to efforts being made to meet the obligations that
flow from the standards (process indicators) and on to the results of those efforts (outcome
indicators). For example, with regard to the right to liberty and security of person, a
structural indicator might indicate the date of entry into force and coverage of the right in
the constitution; a process indicator might reflect the proportion of complaints received on
the right investigated and adjudicated by the NHRI; and the outcome indicator would
indicate the proportion of arrests and detentions declared unlawful by national courts.74
Follow-up to recommendations by human rights mechanisms
37.
The development of tools to follow up on recommendations addressed to States by
human rights mechanisms is also very important. In the first instance, compiling
recommendations in a publicly available, accessible and coherent form75 enables relevant
government bodies and other stakeholders to monitor their implementation. This could take
the form of a publicly available and regularly updated online database which could indicate
the status of implementation, and would also facilitate the consideration of such
recommendations in the development or revision of any national strategy or plan of action
on human rights. Specific laws or procedures can be adopted for the national
implementation of international and regional jurisprudence, and invite a representative of
the victim to participate in the governmental body charged with national implementation of
that individual case.76 Standing mechanisms can also be established within ministries to
monitor the implementation of recommendations, in particular in light of structural issues
which may have been identified through regional human rights mechanisms, and to seek to
prevent further violations based on these issues.77
38.
The implementation of human rights recommendations from human rights
mechanisms into national policies and programmes requires effective coordination, an
analytical framework and a harmonious methodological approach. The causes of human
rights violations may be obvious, for example laws or policies which exclude certain
groups from education. They may also be more complex and encompass a range of legal,
policy, practical and social attitudes. Participation of affected persons can help to identify
the causes and to consider possible solutions, as well as address the right to participate in
decisions. The establishment of inclusive standing coordination and follow-up mechanisms
has proven a useful tool in that regard (A/HRC/27/41, para. 101). Consultation and
73
74
75
76
77
E.g. the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
recommended that Honduras should develop disaggregated indicators to monitor and document
incidents of inter-prisoner violence with a view to revealing root causes and designing appropriate
prevention strategies (CAT/C/HND/CO/1, para. 17).
Human Rights Indicators (footnote 72 above), p. 88.
E.g. Universal Human Rights Index provides access to country-specific human rights information
emanating from international human rights mechanisms in the United Nations system.
Response by Paraguay.
Response by Ukraine.
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