Reports to International Treaty Monitoring Bodies
Ireland has signed up to a range of international and regional human rights treaties and Conventions. Ireland’s human rights and equality record under these treaties and conventions is periodically reviewed by independent committees that form part of the United Nations and Council of Europe monitoring framework.
As Ireland’s national human rights and equality institution, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission actively engages with this process by providing oral and written submissions – called ‘parallel reports’ – on key challenges for the protection of human rights and equality in Ireland. These UN and Council of Europe reviews result in recommendations addressed to the Irish Government on measures that should be taken to comply with international, European and national human rights and equality law.
This section sets out recent reports to these bodies.
Reports to UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies
Ireland and the Convention against Torture
The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission prepared a detailed report on Ireland’s record under the Convention to help inform the Committee Against Torture’s assessment of Ireland’s performance on combating torture and ill treatment, providing recommendations regarding issues of concern. This report was submitted to the Committee in advance of the State examination.
Ireland and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty on the human rights of women and girls, which defines discrimination against women, and lists what states need to do to end discrimination. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission prepared a detailed report on Ireland’s record under the Convention to help inform the CEDAW Committee’s assessment of Ireland, and to highlight gaps in the protection of women’s rights in Ireland.
Ireland and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
In June 2015, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights examined Ireland’s progress in protecting, respecting and fulfilling rights contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission prepared a report for the Committee, looking at the Irish State’s response to the financial crisis and the harsh impact of expenditure cuts on services and supports for some of the most marginalised groups in Irish society, and provided recommendations throughout.
Ireland and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992. The Convention outlines in detail the standards that apply to the needs of children, and binds States to adhere to these standards. In advance of the hearing, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission submitted a detailed report to the UN Committee on Ireland’s record under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The report outlined a range of areas where the State fell short of its obligations under the Convention.
Ireland and the Universal Periodic Review
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States.
It provides an opportunity for States to declare how they have improved the human rights situations in their countries.
Ireland and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
In 2014, the UN Human Rights Committee examined Ireland’s progress in protecting, respecting and fulfilling rights contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Commission prepared a wide-ranging report to assist the UN Human Rights Committee in their assessment of Ireland’s compliance with the Covenant.
Reports to European Bodies
IHREC Submission to GRETA, in advance of its Second Evaluation Round of Ireland, 5 September 2016
Engagement with International Networks
The Commission’s also engages and coordinates with three important international networks: GANHRI, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, ENNHRI, the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions and Equinet, the European Network of Equality Bodies.