Intro -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- About the Authors -- Abbreviations -- List of Tables -- 1 The Importance of Subnational Engagement with Human Rights Treaties -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 What Readers Can Expect from This Book -- 1.2.1 Why Subnational Actors and Human Rights Treaties? -- 1.2.2 Why International Human Rights Treaties with Obligations Requiring the Adoption of Policy Measures? -- 1.2.3 International Treaty Obligations at the Subnational Level in Switzerland -- 1.3 Key Terms: Subnational Political Authorities' Engagement with Human Rights Treaties -- 1.4 Why Focus on Engagement, Rather than Compliance or Implementation? -- 1.5 Organisation of the Book -- References -- 2 Designing Research for Studying How Subnational Actors Use International Human Rights Treaties -- 2.1 Restating the Research Objectives -- 2.2 Identifying the Engagement of Subnational Actors with Human Rights Treaties: An Interdisciplinary Endeavour -- 2.2.1 Studies on Domestic Human Rights Legal Implementation -- 2.2.2 New Legal Realism in Human Rights Scholarship -- 2.2.3 Intermediaries -- 2.3 Selecting the International Treaties -- 2.3.1 The Istanbul Convention -- 2.3.2 The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- 2.3.3 Reflections on This Treaty Selection -- 2.3.4 Why Treaties (Rather than Legal Norms)? -- 2.4 The Collected Datasets -- 2.4.1 Desk Research on Official Sources Related to the Treaties -- 2.4.2 Semi-Structured Interviews -- 2.4.3 Selection of Four Cantons for In-Depth Analysis -- 2.4.4 Analysing the Datasets from Different Perspectives -- References -- 3 Shaping the Uses of a Treaty Through Ratification and Implementation Procedures -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Theoretical Framework on Ratification and Implementation -- 3.2.1 The Ratification of Treaties -- 3.2.2 The Implementation of Treaties.

3.3 Ratification and Implementation of International Treaties in Switzerland -- 3.3.1 The (Pre-)Ratification Procedure -- 3.3.2 The Implementation Procedure -- 3.4 Ratification and Implementation of the Istanbul Convention -- 3.4.1 Ratification of the Istanbul Convention -- 3.4.2 Designation of Implementing Bodies at the Federal and Cantonal Levels -- 3.4.3 Role of the BFEG in Subnational Implementation -- 3.4.4 Role of the CSVD as a Link Between the BFEG and the Cantons -- 3.5 Ratification and Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- 3.5.1 Ratification of the CRPD -- 3.5.2 Absence of a General Implementation Strategy -- 3.5.3 Creation of an Implementation Guide -- 3.5.4 Dissemination of 'Good Practice' on a Website -- 3.6 Discussion -- 3.6.1 Around the Ratification of Treaties: A First Phase to Orient the Engagement of Cantonal Political Authorities -- 3.6.2 Varieties of International Treaties Implementation Strategies: Top-Down or Bottom-Up? -- 3.6.3 Mechanisms at Stake in the Two Case Studies -- 3.7 Conclusion -- References -- 4 Varieties of How Actors Use Human Rights Treaties in Subnational Policy Processes -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.1.1 Who Are the Key Actors Who Use Human Rights Treaties in Subnational Policy Processes and How Do They Come to Know About a Treaty? -- 4.2 Using Treaties for Agenda-Setting -- 4.2.1 Specialised Policy Bureaucrats as Agenda-Setters -- 4.2.2 Members of Cantonal Parliaments and Civil Society Actors as Agenda-Setters -- 4.3 Using International Treaties to Support Claims -- 4.3.1 Using International Treaties to Support Claims on Specific Treaty Obligations -- 4.3.2 Using International Treaties as an 'Add-on' to Support Claims from Below -- 4.3.3 Using Treaties as Legitimation Tools for Existing Claims -- 4.4 Discussion and Conclusion -- References.

5 The Different Ways in Which Subnational Political Authorities Engage with International Human Rights Treaties -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Patterns of Engagement -- 5.2.1 Implementation-Centred Engagement -- 5.2.1.1 The Legislative Way: A New Law or a Law Reform to Implement the Treaty as a Whole -- 5.2.1.2 Issue-Specific Engagement: A Sub-Type of Implementation-Centred Engagement -- 5.2.1.3 The Bureaucratic Way: Adopting Action Plans -- 5.2.1.4 The Continuation of Implementation-Centred Engagement After Legislative Change or the Adoption of an Action Plan -- 5.2.2 Initiating Engagement -- 5.2.3 Embedded Engagement -- 5.2.4 Synthesis: Types of Engagement with International Treaties -- 5.3 Comparative Outlook and Conditions for Engagement -- 5.3.1 From Uses to Engagement? Factors Limiting Subnational Engagement -- 5.3.1.1 Lack of Political Will or Unfavourable Political Balance of Power -- 5.3.1.2 Lack of Financial Resources -- 5.3.2 Enabling Conditions: Alignment with Pre-Existing Policies and Strong Specialised Policy Bureaucracy -- 5.4 Conclusion -- References -- 6 Towards a Contextualised Understanding of Human Rights Treaty Implementation -- 6.1 Taking Stock -- 6.1.1 Pre-ratification Phase and Implementation Strategies -- 6.1.2 Uses -- 6.1.3 Engagement of Political Authorities with Human Rights Treaties -- 6.2 Main Implications -- 6.3 Looking Forward -- References -- Index.