• The Committee on Enforced Disappearances may consider individual communications brought against State parties that have made the requisite declaration under article 31 of the Convention; • The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families,9 the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights10 and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure11 also contain provisions for individual communications to be considered by their respective committees, but these are not yet operative. The procedure is optional for State parties: a treaty body cannot consider complaints relating to a State party unless that State has expressly recognized the treaty body’s competence in this regard, either by a declaration under the treaty’s relevant article or by accepting the relevant optional protocol. Although in some respects the procedure is “quasi-judicial”, the decisions cannot be enforced directly by the committees. In many cases, however, State parties have implemented the committees’ recommendations and granted a remedy to the complainants. Who can complain? Any individual who claims that her or his rights under a treaty have been violated by a State party to that treaty may bring a communication before the relevant committee, provided that the State has recognized the competence of the committee to receive such complaints. Complaints may also be brought by third parties if the individuals themselves have given their written consent or are incapable of giving such consent. How do I lodge a complaint? Detailed information about the treaty bodies’ individual complaints procedures, including advice and instructions on how to complain, can be found in Fact Sheet No. 7 and on the OHCHR website. To come into effect, the procedure under article 77 on individual communications requires a minimum of 10 State parties to make the requisite declaration. 10 The Optional Protocol was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2008 and opened for signature in 2009. It requires ten State parties to enter into force. 11 The Optional Protocol on a communications procedure was adopted by the General Assembly in December 2011. It will be open for signature in 2012. It, too, requires ten State parties to enter into force. 9 31