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 2008, the United States has submitted the following treaty reports (and related documents):

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
State party as of 8 Jun 1992

- 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   PDF version -- 11/01/07
- For the Human Rights Committee's Concluding Observations with respect to the U.S. Governement's report, see http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G06/459/61/PDF/G0645961.pdf?OpenElement

Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
State party as of 8 Jun 1992

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 -- 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] 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' 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]   PDF version -- 07/25/07
- For the Committee Against Torture's Concluding Observations with respect to the U.S. Government's report, see http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G06/432/25/PDF/G0643225.pdf?OpenElement

Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
State Party as of 21 Oct 1994

- 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] PDF version --04/23/07

CERD Annex I PDF version

CERD Annex II PDF version

CERD Annex II - Tab A [ 541 Kb]

CERD Annex II - Tab B [ 273 Kb]

CERD Annex III PDF version

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict 
State Party as of 23 Dec 2002 [treaty text]

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