Flurry of new ratifications in 2012

There has been an impressive spike of activity in the ratification of UN human rights treaties this year, including during the last couple of weeks. There have now been 61 new ratifications during 2012. This includes both ratifications of the treaties themselves and of the various individual complaint mechanisms under the treaties.  This represents a 3% growth in the entire system in just the first 9 months of the year.

Here is a summary of the latest ratifications (described in more detail below in case you are not familiar with some of these acronyms):

Summary

• 3 ratifications of the Optional Protocol to CESC
• 4 ratifications of CAT 
• 3 ratifications of OPCAT
• 1 ratification of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW
• 2 ratifications of the OPIC to CRC
• 9 ratifications of the OPSC to CRC
• 7 ratifications of the OPAC to CRC
• 1 ratification of CMW
• 1 ratification of the article 77 complaint procedure of CMW
• 15 ratifications of the CRPD
• 9 ratifications of the Optional Protocol to the CRPD
• 6 ratifications of CED
• no new ratifications for CERD or CCPR

Total of 61 ratifications.  This brings the total human rights treaty ratifications to 1615 and the total number of ratifications of various individual complaint mechanisms in the treaties to 436.  Approximately 25% of the new ratifications in 2012 have occurred in the last two weeks, during the end of September and the first week in October. 

Here is a more detailed breakdown of these 61 new ratifications. 

1. Covenant on Economic Social & Cultural Rights (CESC) (3)

There have been three new ratifications of the Optional Protocol to CESC, for a total of eight ratifications. This protocol comes into effect once there are ten ratifications. 

• Bolivia (Jan 13)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (Jan 18)
• Slovakia (Mar 7)

2. Convention Against Torture (CAT) (4)

The four new ratifications brings the total to 153 countries that have ratified this treaty. 

• Dominican Republic (Jan 24)
• Nauru (Sep 26)
• Lao People's Democratic Republic (Sep 26)
• United Arab Emirates (July 19)

3. Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) (3)

The three additions brings the total now to 64 countries that have ratified OPCAT.

• Hungary (Jan 12)
• Mauritania (Oct 3)
• Philippines (Apr 17)

4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1)

One new country has ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW (individual complaint mechanism), making the total 104 overall (in addition, 187 countries have ratified the CEDAW treaty itself). 

• Cote d'Ivoire (Jan 20)

5. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (2)

The CRC treaty itself remains at 193 ratifications, but the new optional protocol has received its first two ratifications last month.  Once the protocol has received ten ratifications, the individual complaint mechanism will come into effect.

• Gabon (Sep 25)
• Thailand (Sep 25)

6. Optional Protocol to the CRC on the sale of children (OPSC) (9)

There are now 160 ratifications of this optional protocol with the following nine additions:

• Finland (Jun 1)
• Grenada (Feb 6)
• Indonesia (Sep 24)
• Malaysia (Apr 12)
• Micronesia (Apr 23)
• Myanmar (Jan 16)
• Suriname (May 18)
• Swaziland (Sep 2)
• Zimbabwe (Feb 14)

7. Optional Protocol to the CRC on children in armed conflict (OPAC) (7)

This optional protocol now has 150 ratifications, including these new seven:

• Cote d'Ivoire (Feb 6)
• Grenada (Feb 6)
• Indonesia (Sep 24)
• Malaysia (Apr 12)
• Niger (Mar 13)
• Nigeria (Sep 25)
• Swaziland (Sep 25)

8. Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) (2)

One country (Indonesia) has joined the treaty. In addition, one party (Uruguay) has joined the individual complaint mechanisms in article 77. 

• Indonesia (May 31)
• Uruguay (Apr 13) (complaint mechanism)

9. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (24)

The CRPD is clearly the treaty that is growing the fastest at this point.  It has received 15 new ratifications to the treaty itself and 9 more ratifications of its individual complaint mechanism (optional protocol).  This brings the total now to 124 state parties, and 74 ratifications of the optional protocol. 

Ratifications of the treaty:

• Benin (July 5)
• Bulgaria (Mar 22)
• Djibouti (Jun 18)
• Dominica (Oct 1)
• Estonia (May 30)
• Ghana (July 31)
• Greece (May 31)
• Israel (Sep 28)
• Liberia (July 26)
• Mauritania (Apr 3)
• Mozambique (Jan 30)
• Nauru (Jun 27)
• Poland (Sep 25)
• Russian Federation (Sep 25)
• Swaziland (Sep 24)

Ratifications of the Optional Protocol:

• Benin (July 5)
• Djibouti (Jun 18)
• Dominica (Oct 1)
• Estonia (May 30)
• Ghana (July 31)
• Greece (May 31)
• Mauritania (Apr 3)
• Mozambique (Jan 30)
• Swaziland (Sep 24)

10. Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED) (6)

The CED now has 36 state parties (ratifications) and 14 ratifications of the article 31 individual complaint procedure.  During 2012 there have been 6 new ratifications of the treaty itself and no new ratifications of the individual complaint procedure. 

• Austria (Jun 7)
• Bosnia & Herzegovina (Mar 30)
• Colombia (July 11)
• Costa Rica (Feb 16)
• Mauritania (Oct 3)
• Peru (Sep 26)

Conclusion

It is nice to see this much activity in the ratification of the existing international human rights treaties. It is an indication of how important and well-established the treaty system is today. But it signals even more workload for a system that is already overburdened. Efforts to find more resources and more support for the system are needed.