U.S. Treaty Reports

United Nations human rights treaties require States Parties to report periodically on their implementation of their treaty obligations. For the United States, these reports are large and complex undertakings, involving substantial coordination with relevant U.S. Government agencies in the writing of book-length submissions. As of the spring of 2006, the United States is up to date on all of its reports. As of 2011, the United States has submitted the following treaty reports (and related documents):

Memoranda Regarding U.S. Human Rights Treaty Reports

- U.S. Human Rights Treaty Reports: Memorandum for Executive Branch Agencies--Transmitted 12/17/09
- U.S. Human Rights Treaty Reports: Memorandum for State Governors--Transmitted 01/21/10
- U.S. Human Rights Treaty Reports: Memorandum for DC Mayor Fenty--Transmitted 01/21/10
- U.S. Human Rights Treaty Reports: Memorandum for Governors of U.S. Territories--Transmitted 01/21/10

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

State Party as of September 8, 1992 [treaty text]

-  Fourth Periodic Report of the United States of America to the United Nations Committee on Human Rights Concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - 12/30/11
-   Common Core Document of the United States of America: Submitted With the Fourth Periodic Report of the United States of America to the United Nations Committee on Human Rights concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - 12/30/11
-  Annex A to the Common Core Document of the United States State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Human Rights Organizations and Programs - 12/30/11
- Initial Report of the United States of America to the UN Committee on Human Rights Concerning the ICCPR - 1995
-Updated Core Document Forming Part of the Reports of the United States of America -10/21/05
- Second and Third Periodic Report of the United States of America to the UN Committee on Human Rights Concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights --10/21/05
- List of Issues To Be Taken Up in Connection With the Consideration of the Second and Third Periodic Reports of the United States of America--07/17/06
-Opening Remarks by Wan Kim on the Report Concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)--07/17/06
-Opening Remarks by Ambassador Tichenor on the Report Concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)--07/17/06
- Opening Statement by Matthew Waxman on the Report Concerning the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)--07/17/06
U.S. Government's 1-year Follow-up Report to the Committee's Conclusions & Recommendations Get Acrobat Reader PDF version -- 10/10/07
- Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee with respect to the U.S. Government's report (Eighty-Seventh Session, 10-28 Jul 2006):

Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)

State Party as of November 20, 1994 [treaty text]

- Initial Report of the United States of America to the Committee Against Torture [ 295 Kb] --02/09/00
- Second Periodic Report of the United States of America to the Committee Against Torture [Get Acrobat Reader PDF version ]-- 05/06/05
- Tab 1: Declarations on Transfers of Detainees from Guantanamo Bay - Matthew C. Waxman -- 05/06/05
- Tab 1: Declarations on Transfers of Detainees from Guantanamo Bay - Pierre-Richard Prosper -- 05/06/05
- Update to Annex 1 of the Second Periodic Report of the United States of America to the Committee Against Torture --10/21/05
- Tab 1: Declarations on Transfers of Detainees from Guantanamo Bay - Matthew C. Waxman -- 10/21/05
- Tab 1: Declarations on Transfers of Detainees from Guantanamo Bay - Pierre-Richard Prosper -- 10/21/05
- United States Written Response to Questions Asked by the Committee Against Torture [ 1154 Kb] Get Acrobat Reader PDF version -- 04/28/06
- U.S. Meeting with U.N. Committee Against Torture -- 05/05/06
- Opening Statement for U.S. Hearing at Committee Against Torture -- 05/05/06
- United States' Response to the Questions Asked by the Committee Against Torture -- 05/05/06
- The United States' Oral Response to the Questions Asked by the Committee Against Torture -- 05/08/06
- U.S. Delegation Departure Statement -- 05/09/06
- U.S. Government's 1-year Follow-up Report to the Committee's Conclusions & Recommendations [ 130 Kb] Get Acrobat Reader PDF version -- 07/25/07

- List of Issues to Be Considered during Examination of the Second Periodic Report of the United States of America (Thirty-Fifth Session, 7-25 Nov 2005)
- Response of the United States to the List of Issues
- Concluding Observations of the Committee Against Torture with respect to the U.S. Government's report (Thirty-Sixth Session, 1-19 May 2006):

Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

State Party as of November 20, 1994 [treaty text]

- Initial Report of the United States of America to the Committee On the Elimination of Racial Discrimination [ 390 Kb] --10/10/00
- Periodic Report of the United States of America to the Committee On the Elimination of Racial Discrimination [ 750 Kb] Get Acrobat Reader PDF version --04/23/07

- Questions Put by the Rapporteur in Connection with the Consideration of the Combined Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Periodic Reports of the United States of America [ 25 Kb]
- Written Responses to Questions Put by the Rapporteur in Connection with the Consideration of the Combined Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Periodic Reports of the United States of America [ 847 Kb]
- Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination [ 115 Kb]
- U.S. Government's 1-year Follow-up Report to the Committee's Concluding Observations [ 137 Kb]

U.S. Reports Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and Response to Recommendations in Committee Concluding Observations of June 25, 2008

State Party as of January 23, 2003 [treaty text]

First Periodic Report Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and Response to Recommendations in Committee Concluding Observations of June 25, 2008 [523 Kb] -01/22/10

-- United States Written Response to Questions Asked by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (5/13/2008); Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

-- Initial Report Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict  Get Acrobat Reader PDF version -- 06/22/07

- List of Issues to Be Taken Up in Connection with the Consideration of the Initial Report of the United States of America (Forty-Eighth Session, 19 May - 6 Jun, 2008)
- Written Replies by the Government of the United States of America Concerning the List of Issues (Forty-Eighth Session, 19 May - 6 Jun, 2008)
- Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of a Child:

U.S. Reports Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography

State Party as of January 23, 2003 [treaty text]

First Periodic Report Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and Response to Recommendations in Committee Concluding Observations of June 25, 2008 -01/22/10

-- United States Written Response to Questions Asked by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (5/13/2008); Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
- Initial Report Concerning the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Get Acrobat Reader PDF version -- 07/16/07

- List of Issues to Be Taken Up in Connection with the Consideration of the Initial Report of the United States of America (Forty-Eighth Session, 19 May - 6 Jun, 2008)
- Responses of the United States of America to additional questions from Ms. Rosa Mar?a Ortiz, Vice Chair, Committee on the Rights of the Child (May 23, 2008)
- Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of a Child


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