On 19 June 2024, CCIG offered a training on the UN Treaty Bodies to a group of Civil Society members from the Edmund Rice International (ERI) Network, who were invited to Geneva to learn about human rights advocacy within the UN system and attend the 56th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). The training was held at the ERI office in Geneva. There were nine participants in the training, hailing from Australia, Ghana, India, Ireland, and the USA, as well as three other representatives of ERI and CCIG in attendance.

CCIG Secretary General, Maria D’Onofrio, began her intervention with a general introduction to the structure of the UN Human Rights System, before focusing on Treaty Bodies specifically. She provided the definition of a treaty and outlined the steps of the ratification process, in particular for UN Human Rights multilateral treaties. She then gave an overview of the current treaties in place and discussed the duties of States Party in implementing them. Notably, her presentation also highlighted opportunities for Civil Society participation in the Treaty Bodies reporting process, including through the submission of written reports and monitoring of implementation on the ground.

The session offered an interactive environment, allowing participants to demonstrate what they had already learned during their time in Geneva, ask further questions, and engage in conversation related to the function of Treaty Bodies, especially the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the role of Civil Society members in the process.

Through this training, Civil Society actors from around the world gained a better understanding of the UN Treaty Bodies mechanism, empowering them to engage with the UN system in their own human rights work.