Reporting under International Human Rights Treaties: Perspectives from Timor Leste's Experience of the Reformed Process

摘要

This article explores Timor Leste's experience of reporting under the reformed international human rights treaties reporting system during the period 2004–2007. Whilst consciousness has grown of the difficulties faced by states by the duplication of treaty reporting processes and the resource burden represented by reporting, the reforms instituted to date have been comparatively minor. Timor's experience with the new Common Core Document(CCD)/treaty-specific document format affirms that reporting serves useful purposes, particularly in stimulating human rights education initiatives, government/NGO collaboration and awareness of human rights gaps in practice. The reformed process highlights cross-cutting human rights matters. Yet, significant challenges remain, particularly for developing, post-conflict states, before reporting will attain its desired potential of support for improved human rights promotion and protection at the national level. The CCD itself raises complex conceptual difficulties needing resolution. There remains a paucity of appropriate methodological tools to support the reporting process and facilitate the integration of human rights and development goals. Further work is thus needed to shape a sustainable process for reporting.