The main treaty bodies Availability of individual complaints procedure Number of general discussion days held as at 1 May 2001 Number and venue of sessions Number of General Comments or Recommendations adopted as at 1 April 2004 Number of members – Name of supervisory body – Human rights treaty 30 18 members Yes under first Optional Protocol to the ICCPR 3 sessions per year: 2 in Geneva, 1 in New York – Human Rights Committee (HRC) – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) 21 15 – 2 sessions per year in Geneva Yes through acceptance of Article 14 of ICERD 18 members 1 (on the Roma) – Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) 12 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 5 – 2 sessions per year in Geneva 3 sessions per year in Geneva 25 18 members 10 members 2 sessions per year in New York – 1 Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 23 members Yes under Optional Protocol to the ICEDAW 2 sessions per year in Geneva International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 10 members 10 members 1 session per year in Geneva (provisional) – Yes through acceptance of Article 22 of the CAT – Yes through acceptance of Article 20 of the CAT Yes under Optional Protocol to the ICEDAW Inquiries into grave or systematic violations – Yes through acceptance of Article 77 of the MWC – Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (ICEDAW) Committee against Torture (CAT) Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (MWC) 11 MINORITY RIGHTS: A GUIDE TO UNITED NATIONS PROCEDURES AND INSTITUTIONS 29 – In addition, 2 statements have been adopted, including one on the human rights of the Kurdish people. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (MWC) SOURCE: PAMPHLET NO. 4, FROM THE UNITED NATIONS GUIDE FOR MINORITIES, OHCHR, AND UPDATED BY MRG.