The United Nations Human Rights System Treaty Body Founding treaty (or instrument) Optional protocol(s) to founding treaty Functions of the Treaty Body 1 Number of experts Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD, 1965) None • Monitoring implementation of the treaty by reviewing the State parties’ reports (Art. 9) • Considering individual complaints (Art. 14) • Handling inter-State complaints (Art. 11) • Early warning and urgent action procedure (Art. 9, para. 1) 18 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, 1979) Optional Protocol to the CEDAW (1979) • Monitoring implementation of the treaty by reviewing the State parties’ reports (Art. 18) • Considering individual complaints (OP) • Conducting inquiries (OP) 23 Committee against Torture (CAT) Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT, 1984) Optional protocol to the CAT (2002) to prevent torture (see below the Sub-committee on Torture Prevention) • Monitoring implementation of the treaty by reviewing the State parties’ reports (Art. 19) • Considering individual complaints (Art. 22) • Conducting inquiries (Art. 20) • Handling inter-State complaints (Art. 21) 10 Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989) • Optional protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000) • Optional protocol to the CRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (2000) • Optional protocol to the CRC on a communications procedure (2012) • Monitoring implementation of the treaty by reviewing the State parties’ reports (Art. 44) • Monitoring implementation of the Optional Protocols on the Sale of Children (Art. 12) and on Children and Armed Conflict (Art. 8) • Consideration of individual complaints (OP) • Conducting inquiries (OP) • Handling inter-State complaints (OP) 18 15