UN treaty bodies are committees of independent experts created under a particular UN treaty. They are mandated to monitor how States that have ratified the treaty in question comply with their obligations to implement the human rights guaranteed by the treaty. They periodically examine State reports and issue concluding observations on States’ compliance to the treaty, as well as make recommendations.

Most treaty bodies can receive individual complaints or communications in cases of human rights violations, if the State in question has recognised the competence of the treaty body to do so.

Treaty bodies also adopt General Comments, which provide authoritative interpretations of the provisions of the treaty the treaty body oversees.

For further information, see Right to Education Project’s page on International Human Rights Mechanisms.