Part II The Institutional Framework, 6 The Functions and Competence of Human Rights Tribunals

Human rights treaties outline mechanisms to monitor compliance by states parties with the rights and duties prescribed therein. International supervisory organs, generally composed of independent experts, typically have ‘competence with respect to matters relating to the fulfilment of the commitments made by the States Parties to th[e] Convention’1 or a mandate to ‘ensure the observance of the engagements undertaken by the High Contracting Parties’.2 United Nations treaty bodies review periodic reports that must be filed by states parties, and they may have...