This text assesses the suitability of the UN Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (hereinafter referred to as the Torture Convention) as a means of protecting and enforcing the right to be free from torture. Evaluation of the Convention's ability to attain these ends is undertaken through a critical commentary on its substantive and enforcement provisions and on other human rights instruments.

"Published with the support of Austrian Science Fund (FWF): PUB 644-G."

3.4 Ad Hoc Reports.

Captures the essence of the multi-layered subject of human rights law in a way that is authoritative, critical and scholarly.

This second edition of State of Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption: Criminalization, Law Enforcement and International Cooperation, which was launched during the 7th session of the Conference of the States Parties (Vienna, 6-10 November 2017).The study is based on the findings and results emanating from the first cycle reviews of the implementation of the Convention by 156 States parties (2010-2015). It contains a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of chapters III (Criminalization and law enforcement) and IV (International cooperation) of the Convention. More specifically, the study: (a) identifies and describes trends and patterns in the implementation of the above-mentioned chapters, focusing on systematic or, where possible, regional commonalities and variations; (b) highlights successes and good practices on the one hand, and challenges in implementation on the other; (c) provides an overview of the emerging understanding of the Convention and differences in the reviews, where they have been encountered.

This volume provides a thorough commentary on the articles of the Convention against Torture, with historical context and analysis of relevant case law from monitoring bodie and international, regional and domestic courts.

Human rights treaties are at the core of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights. Every UN member state has ratified at least one of these treaties, making them applicable to virtually every child, woman or man in the world - over six billion people. At the same time, human rights violations are rampant. The problem is that the implementation scheme accompanying the core human rights standards was drafted during a period of history when effective international monitoring was neither intended nor achievable. Today there is a gap between universal right and remedy that is inescapable and inexcusable, threatening the integrity of the international human rights legal regime. There are overwhelming numbers of overdue reports, untenable backlogs, minimal individual complaints from vast numbers of potential victims, and widespread refusal of states to provide remedies when violations of individual rights are found. This landmark Report prepared by Professor Bayefsky envisions a wide-ranging number of reforms, most of which can be accomplished without formal amendment. The recommendations generally assume a six treaty body regime, and focus primarily on offering concrete suggestions for improvements in working methods of the treaty bodies and procedures at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Professor Bayefsky details numerous proposals for bolstering national level partnerships, and for following-up the output of the treaty monitoring system as a key missing component of the implementation regime. One major reform requiring amendment is ultimately recommended, namely, consolidation of the human rights treaty bodies and the creation of two permanent committees, one for the consideration of state reports and one for complaints. All individuals, agencies, and organizations involved in the promotion, implementation, review, analysis, and study of human rights protection for all peoples will find this Report an indispensable resource for their work. It contains a unique overview of all the working methods of the six human rights treaty bodies, a detailed and thorough statistical analysis of the operation of the human rights treaty system, and a number of additional annexes which together provide a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the treaty system. The international human rights legal system is at a crossroads, with the ideal of universality threatened by the fundamental shortfalls in effective implementation. This Report offers a clear and substantive path to moving universality beyond rhetoric and towards a treaty regime meaningful and effective in the lives of everyday people.

An analysis of the UN human rights treaty bodies, their methods of interpretation, their effectiveness and issues of legitimacy.