Article 39 [Report of the Committee]

The contribution analyzes Article 39 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (hereinafter CRPD). This norm constitutes a final provision of the international monitoring mechanism provided by the Convention. In particular, Article 39 explains the role of the CRPD Committee in the framework of the human rights machinery. Compared to earlier UN human rights conventions, the CRPD monitoring regime does not present particular aspects of novelty, reflecting a consolidated practice. This norm establishes that the CRPD Committee report every two years to the UN General Assembly and to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on its activities. Furthermore, it may make 'suggestions and general recommendations' based on the examination of reports and information submitted by State Parties. The obligation to report information on a periodic basis is a consistent feature of the practice of all human rights treaty bodies and represents a tool of particular importance for information, monitoring, and decision making. In the same vein, the competence of the CRPD Committee to elaborate 'suggestions and general comments' constitutes a pivotal task of the Committee and contributes to making the CRPD a living instruments.