Multilateral cooperation 48 | Global cooperation United Nations Liechtenstein’s work at the United Nations focuses in principle on the defined foreign policy priorities, namely human rights, international law, crime prevention and criminal justice, and humanitarian assistance. Environmental issues tend to play a subordinate role in daily foreign policy work, since they generally require the substantive involvement of specialists. In the field of In the field of human rights, Liechtenstein is active both within the framework of the Human Rights Council, which replaced the Human Rights Commission in 2006, as well as in the Third Committee of the General Assembly. One focus is on the thematic human rights, agendas, such as children’s and women’s rights as well as impunity and the fight Liechtenstein plays against crime. In the Third Committee, Liechtenstein has served both as chairman an active and and as deputy chairman. Also in the development of international treaties in the field of human rights, Liechtenstein has played an active and influential role since joining influential role. the UN, especially on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, and the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In regard to institutional questions, Liechtenstein has mainly been active on treaty body reform, for which two expert meetings were held in Liechtenstein in 2004 and 20068, as well as in the negotiations in New York and Geneva on the establishment of the Human Rights Council (2006). Liechtenstein also co-chaired the revision of the Human Rights Council in New York. Liechtenstein is a state party to the core human rights instruments.9 Liechtenstein is currently preparing to join the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Inter­national Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The reporting obligations for human rights treaties are generally very time-consuming. The Office for Foreign Affairs is responsible for the necessary coordination in this regard with the specialist offices and representations abroad. Liechtenstein’s involvement in treaty body reform aims not least of all to reduce the workload associated with reporting to the extent possible. Because of Liechtenstein’s limited personnel resources and the considerable competition within its regional group (Group of Western European and Other States), Liechtenstein has so far never been a member of the Human Rights Council or its predecessor body (the Human Rights Commission). Thanks to the strong observer status, however, it is easy to make substantive contributions to the Council’s work. The observer status makes it possible to participate actively in negotiations on resolutions of the Human Rights Council and to introduce proposals. 8 Malbun I and Malbun II. 9 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.