Analyzing The U.N. Human Rights Treaty Monitoring System

Abstract: The article analyzes why the U.N. human rights treaty monitoring system had been established and describes the framework and characteristics about the system. Basing on the seven core international human fights treaties currently in force, the paper presents the treaty bodies and the monitoring system, including the state parties reporting system, the inter-state complaints procedure, the individual communication procedure and the inquiry system, and also, discusses the positive aspects and the subjects of concern of the system for the protection of human rights. It is shown that, to some extent, the effectiveness of the treaty system depends on whether or not the state parties accept all of the core international human rights treaties systematically and put their provisions into operation (universal and effective ratification). In order to enhance the effectiveness of the U.N. human rights treaty monitoring system, the article gives the point that the treaty bodies need to coordinate their activities as to present a consistent and systematic approach to monitoring the human rights at the national level. In the end, the article gives some suggestions and recommendations in strengthening human rights promotion and protection system in China.