About Us
Uniting for Justice, Inspiring Change
The Observatory on Human Rights at the UN is an initiative of the Civil Law section of the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa. It aims to respond in an innovative way to three types of needs: information needs of UN treaty bodies, training needs of students, and the democratization of civil society knowledge. This democratization will also involve the exchange of experience between practitioners from different disciplines within the framework of each research project.
Our Partners
The Observatory embraces a multidisciplinary approach in its work, engaging with UN experts as well as esteemed Pilots and Collaborators from Canada and abroad, all of whom are recognized for their significant contributions to the advancement of human rights. The Observatory also partners with various units across the University of Ottawa, including Telfer Executive Programs and INNOVA.
The Human Rights Treaty Bodies of the UN
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (4 January 1969).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have accepted the declaration under Article 14 ICERD.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (3 January 1976).
It can receive complaints concerning States parties that have ratifies the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (23 March 1976).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have ratified the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and its optional protocol (3 September 1981).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (26 June 1987).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have accepted the declaration under Article 22 of the CAT.
Established pursuant to the Optional Protocol of the Convention against Torture (OP-CAT) (22 June 2006), it visits places of detention and provides guidance to States and National Preventative Mechanisms on best practices for preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2 September 1990) and its two protocols.
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have ratifies the Third Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1 July 2003).
An individual complaints mechanism is pending and will be initialed once 10 States parties have submitted the relevant declaration under Article 77 of the CMW.
​Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (3 May 2008).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (23 December 2010).
It can receive individual complaints against States parties that have acknowledged the Committee’s competence under Article 31 of the Convention.