Major international human rights treaties have treaty bodies known as committees, which oversee their implementation. These bodies review periodic reports made by State Parties regarding their compliance with the respective treaties. They also issue general comments that provide authoritative interpretations of the treaty provisions and examine the extent to which the treaties have been implemented by State Parties. In addition, they make recommendations addressing particular areas where State Parties should change legislation, policy and practice in order to promote treaty compliance. Under certain conditions, some treaty bodies may also receive communications from individuals, groups, or State Parties alleging treaty violations. These bodies may then issue adjudicative decisions interpreting and applying treaty provisions, and establishing whether a State party has complied with its treaty obligations. At the regional level, human rights treaties have established courts, which may order remedies, such as cessation of the infringement of a right and financial compensation. To reflect the principle of complementarity between national and international institutions, one general condition for the use of these international and regional mechanisms is the exhaustion of local remedies. Human Rights Compliance Mechanisms Strength Compliance Body Committee on the ICESCR Human Rights Council Weak Human Rights Committee (under Optional Protocol I). African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights ↕ Committee on CEDAW (under the Optional Protocol). Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Inter-American Court of Human Rights African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights Strong European Court of Human Rights European Court of Justice International Criminal Court Type of Mechanism State reporting. Special country specific or thematic report mechanisms; Resolution 1503 informationpetitioning system. State reporting; inter-state complaints procedure; individual complaints procedure. State reporting; inter-state complaints procedure, non-state communications; special communications. State reporting; individual communications procedure; inquiry procedure. Fact-finding missions; inter-state complaints procedure; individual complaints procedure. Advisory jurisdiction; contentious jurisdiction, including award of damages. Inter-state complaints procedure; individual complaints procedure; contentious jurisdiction, including award of damage. Inter-state complaints procedure; individual complaints procedure; contentious jurisdiction, including award of damage. Judicial review of EC Acts and Acts of Member States in EC Areas. Prosecution of individuals responsible for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Human rights treaties also set out the conditions under which limitations can be imposed by States on the exercise of some human rights under exceptional circumstances. In general, such limitations will be allowed provided that they are determined by law and necessary in a 11