International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Each TMB has issued its own guidelines for the treaty-specific document.215 In general they require the State report to contain information relating to the State’s implementation of the specific treaty.216 In their guidelines, some TMBs recommend that States take each article in the treaty in turn and report on its implementation. Others group related articles and require reporting on the implementation of each group. Some TMBs have separate guidelines for initial and periodic reports. The Human Rights Committee has begun a practice of identifying in advance key articles in the ICCPR or issues arising under the ICCPR and requiring States to report only in relation to those articles or issues.217 This practice is not being applied to initial reports of States parties or to periodic reports already sent to the Committee for consideration or when the Committee deems that particular circumstances within a State warrant a full report.218 If possible, the CCD should not exceed 60 to 80 pages; initial treaty-specific documents should not exceed 60 pages; and subsequent periodic documents should be limited to 40 pages.219220 The preparation of the State report is a State responsibility. It should not be assigned to an NHRI. Unless the State itself takes on full responsibility for the report, it will not be committed to the contents of the report. However, the NHRI can and should “contribute” to the State report “with due respect for their independence”.220 The Paris Principles see this as a core responsibility of NHRIs. The requirement of respecting the independence of the NHRI implies that the NHRI should contribute in an advisory capacity, without taking the State’s responsibility for determining the content of the report and without detracting from the NHRI’s ability to present its own information to the particular TMB. After receiving the State report, the TMB may set the date for its interactive dialogue with the State and a timetable for the period up until then. The timetable can include deadlines for the submission of other information; the preparation of the list of issues and questions; formal written responses to the list of issues and questions; and any other preliminary steps. The NHRI should ensure that it is aware of any timetable so that it is able to participate effectively at each step, should it decide to do so. 2.2. Preparation and submission of other information A TMB has little capacity of its own to gather information and analysis as part of the review of a State’s compliance with a human rights treaty. It therefore has to rely on information provided by others. UN agencies provide important information but most of the material submitted to a TMB, apart from the State report, comes from the NHRI and from NGOs. 215 HRI/GEN/2 contains the treaty specific guidelines of each TMB. It is updated regularly. 216 HRI/MC/2006/3; para. 60. 217 CCPR/C/99/4. 218 CCPR/C/994.B. 219 HRI/MC/2006/3; para. 19. 220 Paris Principles; para. 3(d). 72 | Chapter 11: Treaty monitoring bodies: Monitoring compliance