EU Statement – UN General Assembly 3rd Committee: Interactive dialogue with the Chair of the Human Rights Committee

Mr. Chairperson

The EU and its Member States warmly welcome you to the Third Committee and thank you for your presentation. The European Union appreciates the Human Rights Committee’s continued efforts to uphold and monitor the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the promotion and protection of civil and political rights globally, and we recognize the Committee’s vital role in holding States accountable under the Covenant.

We express our support for the ongoing efforts to improve coordination among the human rights treaty bodies, which in turn will strengthen the international human rights protection system. We also encourage all States to use the opportunity of the 80^th anniversary of the United Nations to become parties to the Covenant and Optional Protocols.

Mr. Chairperson

The treaty body system is facing an unprecedented crisis in resources and staffing. The Human Rights Committee is no exception. We share the Committee’s deep concerns regarding the shortage of resources and the impact that this is having, for example, on addressing the backlog of individual communications and improving the processing of the States’ reports. 

We strongly believe that the challenges posed by the United Nations liquidity crisis cannot put on hold the full realization of human rights. In this vein, we commend the Committee’s efforts to adjust its working methods to this difficult situation, and we share its support for the digital transformation agenda of the OHCHR that should facilitate the work of the treaty bodies and make it more efficient.  We also note with appreciation that the number of pending cases decreased since 2024, while the number of cases concluded significantly increased. We are curious to know whether this increased efficiency is a direct result of the strategy aimed at addressing the high number of communications, which was adopted during the 140^th session. 

In order to effectively protect human rights, it is crucial to engage all stakeholders, including rights-holders and civil society representatives, in the review process of States’ implementation of their obligations. Can you elaborate on how the Committee can ensure that States meaningfully engage with civil society during reviews? 

It is also important to ensure that such participation is safe and free from intimidation – how does the Committee engage with States parties to prevent reprisals and ensure safe access to the treaty body system for human rights defenders and civil society?

Lastly, we encourage all States to implement the Committee’s recommendations in good faith and to use its work as a catalyst for reform and accountability. We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the treaty body system as a whole and ensuring adequate resources for its functioning.

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