23 10 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Committee against Torture Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (187 parties) Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (149 parties) 18 18 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (160 parties) 18 Number of members International Covenant Human Rights on Civil and Political Committee Rights (167 parties) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Treaty body International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (175 parties) Treaty 2/year, in Geneva 3/year: 2 in Geneva, 1 in New York 3/year: 2 in Geneva, 1 in New York 2/year, in Geneva Number and venue of sessions 2/year, in Geneva 2 28 34 21 General comments or recommendations adopted 34 Review of State party reports and issue of recommendations Under art. 9 Reports examined a year: 24 Reports pending examination: 16 (estimated backlog of less than 1 year) 4 years 4 years Additional mechanisms (continued) Inquiries into grave or systematic violations, under the Optional Protocol, arts. 8–10 Inquiries into systematic practice of torture through acceptance of art. 20 Yes, through acceptance of art. 14 Registered communications pending examination: 3 Average time between registration and final decision on merits: 1 ½ years Yes, under the Optional Yes, under Protocol (not yet in force) the Optional Protocol, art. 11 (not yet in force) Individual complaints procedure Yes, under the first Optional Protocol Registered communications pending examination: 340 Average time between registration and final decision on merits: 3 ½ years Under art. 18 Yes, under the Optional Reports examined a Protocol year: 24 Registered communications Reports pending pending examination: 10 examination: 48 Average time between (estimated backlog of registration and final decision on merits: 2 years 2 years) Yes, through acceptance of Under arts. 19–20 art. 22 Reports examined a Registered communications year: 14 pending examination: 100 Reports pending Average time between examination: 20 (estimated backlog of registration and final decision on merits: 2 ½ nearly 2 years) years Under art. 16–17 Reports examined a year: 10 Reports pending examination: 44 (estimated backlog of over 4 years) At the Under art. 40 Committee’s Reports examined a discretion, but year: 15 usually every Reports pending 4 years examination: 25 (estimated backlog of nearly 2 years) 5 years 2 years Periodicity of obligation to report Figure IV. United Nations human rights treaties and treaty bodies Minority rights focus in the United Nations 45