Shadow Reports, also known as Alternative Reports, “shadow” a government’s official reports concerning its
implementation of international human rights treaties. Following its ratification of an international human
rights treaty, the government in question is required by a provision of the treaty to submit regular reports
to the treaty monitoring body’s human rights committee. These periodic reports are supposed to update the Committee
on how the provisions of the treaty it monitors are being implemented. Before reviewing these reports and in order
not to rely solely on the government’s version, the human rights committee may invite civil society groups, also
known as “non-governmental organizations” (NGOs), to supplement it with alternative information that pertains to
the periodic report under review.
These are the reports that “shadow” a Government’s version. Ideally they
- Hold a government accountable to the provisions of the treaty that it ratified,
- Enhance the participation of civil society groups in voicing their human rights concerns and criticisms at the
international level, and most importantly
- Provide experts in treaty-monitoring bodies with an alternative assessment underlining any discrepancies in
the government report, documenting government compliance or lack of it to the provisions of the treaty, and
advancing recommendations for improving the protection of human rights in a particular country.