Human Rights:

Sectors in Human Rights:

Women

Children

Youth

Indigenous

Cultural minorities

Muslim pop.

Elderly

Disabled person

Mentally disabled

CPED
prisones & detainees
internally displaced person
laborers
rural workers
peasants
fishermen
migrant workers

The Core International Human Rights Instruments and their monitoring

bodies
There are ten core international human rights instruments. Each of these
instruments (9 human rights treaties and the Optional Protocol to the CAT) has
established a committee of experts to monitor implementation of the treaty
provisions by its States parties. Some of the treaties are supplemented by
optional protocols dealing with specific concerns.
Date Monitorin
g Body
ICERD
21
CERD
International Convention on the Elimination of
Dec
All Forms of Racial Discrimination
1965
ICCPR
16
CCPR
International Covenant on Civil and Political
Dec
Rights
1966
ICESCR
16
CESCR
International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Dec
Cultural Rights
1966
CEDAW
18
CEDAW
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Dec
Discrimination against Women
1979
CAT
10
CAT
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Dec
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
1984
CRC
Convention on the Rights of the Child
20
CRC
Nov
1989
ICMW International Convention on the Protection of the 18
CMW
Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of
Dec
Their Families
1990

20
Dec
2006
CRPD
13
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Dec
Disabilities
2006
ICESCR
10
Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic,
- OP
Dec
Social and Cultural Rights
2008
ICCPR16
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant
OP1
Dec
on Civil and Political Rights
1966
ICCPR- Second Optional Protocol to the International
15
OP2
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at Dec
the abolition of the death penalty
1989
OP10
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
CEDAW
Dec
Elimination of Discrimination against Women
1999
OPOptional protocol to the Convention on the
25
CRCRights of the Child on the involvement of
May
AC
children in armed conflict
2000
OPOptional protocol to the Convention on the
25
CRC-SC Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child May
prostitution and child pornography
2000
OPCRC-IC Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
14
Rights of the Child on a communications
Apr
procedure
2014
OP-CAT Optional Protocol to the Convention against
18
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Dec
Treatment or Punishment
2002
OP12
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
CRPD
Dec
Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2006
International Convention for the Protection of
All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

CED

CRPD

CESCR

CCPR

CCPR

CEDAW

CRC

CRC

CRC

SPT

CRPD

International human rights instruments are treaties and other international

documents relevant to international human rights law and the protection of human
rights in general.
Can be classified into two categories:
DECLARATIONS adopted by bodies such as the United Nations general
assembly
- Not legally binding although they may be politically so as soft
law

CONVENTIONS Legally binding instruments concluded under international law.

(International treaties and even declarations can, over time, obtain the status of
customary international law)
International Human Rights may be GLOBAL INSTRUMENTS-any state in the
world can be a party; REGIONAL INSTRUMENTS- restricted to states in a
particular region of the world.
International human rights law is the body of international law designed to
promote and protect human rights at the international, regional, and domestic levels.
As a form of international law, international human rights law is primarily made up
of treaties, agreements between states intended to have binding legal effect between
the parties that have agreed to them; and customary international law, rules of law
derived from the consistent conduct of states acting out of the belief that the law
required them to act that way. Other international human rights instruments while
not legally binding contribute to the implementation, understanding and
development of international human rights law and have been recognized as a source
of political obligation.
International law is the set of rules generally regarded and accepted as binding in
relations between states and between nations. It serves as a framework for the
practice of stable and organized international relations. International law differs
from state-based legal systems in that it is primarily applicable to countries rather
than to private citizens. National law may become international law
when treaties delegate national jurisdiction to supranationaltribunals such as
the European Court of Human Rights or the International Criminal Court. Treaties
such as the Geneva Conventions may require national law to conform to respective
parts.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights are sometimes referred to as the international bill of rights.
Declarations

Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1923

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN, 1948)

American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (OAS, 1948)

Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UN, 1975)

Declaration on the Right to Development (UN, 1986)

Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (OIC,1990)

Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (World Conference on

Human Rights, 1993)

Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities (UNESCO, 1998)

Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001)

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN, 2007)

UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity (UN, 2008)

Conventions
Global

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime

of Apartheid (ICSPCA)

International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural

Rights (ICESCR)

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and Protocol Relating to

the Status of Refugees

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Convention Against Torture (CAT)

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination (ICERD)

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women (CEDAW)

International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant

Workers and Members of Their Families (MWC)

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced

Disappearance

Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (ILO 169)

Regional: Africa

African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

Maputo Protocol
Regional: America

American Convention on Human Rights

Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture

Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons

Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and

Eradication of Violence against Women

Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities
Regional: Europe

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML)

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)

European Social Charter (ESC), and Revised Social Charter

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM)

DECLARATIONS:
Declaration of the Rights of the Child
-The Convention consists of 54 articles that address the basic human rights to
children everywhere are entitled:

the right to survival;

the right to develop to the fullest;

protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation;

the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.

The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the
best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for
the views of the child.
Under the Convention, a child is defined as "... every human being below the age of
eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained
earlier.

Besides the adoption in 1966 of the two wide-ranging Covenants that form
part of the International Bill of Human Rights (namely theInternational
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), a number of other treaties have been
adopted at the international level. These are generally known as human
rights instruments. Some of the most significant include the following:

the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (CSR) (adopted

in 1951 and entered into force in 1954);
The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, also known
as the 1951 Refugee Convention, is a United Nations multilateral
treaty that defines who is a refugee, and sets out the rights of
individuals who are granted asylum and the responsibilities of
nations that grant asylum. The Convention also sets out which
people do not qualify as refugees, such as war criminals. The
Convention also provides for some visa-free travel for holders
of travel documents issued under the convention.

the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination (CERD) (adopted in 1965 and entered into force in
1969);

the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide (CPCG) (adopted 1948 and entered into force in 1951);

Definition of genocide
Article 2 of the convention defines genocide as
...any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in
part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the
group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to
bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide, Article 2
Article 3 defines the crimes that can be punished

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination (ICERD) is a United Nations convention. A thirdgeneration human rights instrument, the Convention commits its members to
the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of understanding
among all races.[6] Controversially, the Convention also requires its parties to
outlaw hate speech and criminalize membership in racist organizations.[7]
The Convention also includes an individual complaints mechanism,
effectively making it enforceable against its parties. This has led to the
development of a limited jurisprudence on the interpretation and
implementation of the Convention.
The convention was adopted and opened for signature by the United
Nations General Assembly on 21 December 1965,[8] and entered into force
on 4 January 1969. As of April 2013, it has 87 signatories and 177 parties.[2]
The Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination (CERD).

under the convention:

(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.
Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide,
Article 3

the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

Against Women (CEDAW) (entered into force in 1981)
The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international
treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly.
Described as an international bill of rights for women, it was
instituted on 3 September 1981 and has been ratified by 189
states. Over fifty countries that have ratified the Convention have
done so subject to certain declarations, reservations, and

objections, including 38 countries who rejected the enforcement

article 29, which addresses means of settlement for disputes
concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention.
[1]
Australia's declaration noted the limitations on central
government power resulting from its federal constitutional system.
The United States and Palau have signed, but not yet ratified the
treaty. The Holy See,Iran, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga are not
signatories to CEDAW.

the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT) (adopted in

1984 and entered into force in 1987);
The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment (commonly known as
the United Nations Convention against Torture) is
an international human rights treaty, under the review of the United
Nations, that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel,
inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world.
The Convention requires states to take effective measures to
prevent torture in anyterritory under their jurisdiction, and forbids
states to transport people to any country where there is reason to
believe they will be tortured.

the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (adopted in

1989 and entered into force in 1990);
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(commonly abbreviated as the CRC, CROC, or UNCRC) is a
human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic,
social, health and cultural rights of children. The Convention
defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen,
unless the age of majority is attained earlier under a state's own
domestic legislation

the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All

Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICRMW) (adopted
in 1990 and entered into force in 2003);
the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD)
(entered into force on May 3, 2008);[8] and
the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from
Enforced Disappearance (adopted in 2006 and entered into force in
2010).

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

- It commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals,
including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of
assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(ICESCR)
is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on
16 December 1966, and in force from 3 January 1976.[1] It commits its
parties to work toward the granting of economic, social, and cultural rights
(ESCR) to the Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories and individuals,
including labour rights and the right to health, the right to education, and the
right to an adequate standard of living.

UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

In addition to the International Bill of Rights and the core human rights
treaties, there are many other universal instruments relating to human rights.
A non-exhaustive selection is listed below.
WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND MILLENNIUM
ASSEMBLY

Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

United Nations Millennium Declaration

THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION

United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to

Colonial Countries and Peoples

General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962,

"Permanent sovereignty over natural resources"

International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing

and Training of Mercenaries
RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND MINORITIES

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169)

Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or

Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958

(No. 111)

International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial

Discrimination (ICERD)

Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice

Convention against Discrimination in Education

Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission to

be responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may
arise between States Parties to the Convention against
Discrimination in Education

Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of

Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief

World Conference against Racism, 2001 (Durban Declaration and

Programme of Action)
RIGHTS OF WOMEN

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW)

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms

of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW-OP)

Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in

Emergency and Armed Conflict

Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on

the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRCOPSC)

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on

the involvement of children in armed conflict (CRC-OPAC)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS

United Nations Principles for Older Persons

RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities

Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons

Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

Principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the
improvement of mental health care

Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons

with Disabilities
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE: PROTECTION
OF PERSONS SUBJECTED TO DETENTION OR IMPRISONMENT

Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners

Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners

Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form
of Detention or Imprisonment

United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of

their Liberty

Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected

to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading

Treatment or Punishment (CAT)

Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other

Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT)

Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the Role of Health

Personnel, particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners
and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of

Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment

Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the

death penalty

Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials

Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law

Enforcement Officials

United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial

Measures (The Tokyo Rules)

United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of

Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules)

Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System

United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile

Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines)

Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and

Abuse of Power

Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary

Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers

Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors

Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extralegal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions

Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced

Disappearance

Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and

Reparation

International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from

Enforced Disappearance

United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and

Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok
Rules)- PDF

Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of

human rights through action to combat impunity
SOCIAL WELFARE, PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT

Declaration on Social Progress and Development

Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition

Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in

the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind

Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace

Declaration on the Right to Development

Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights

Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Principles relating to the status of national institutions (The Paris

Principles)

Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups

and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally
Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and

Training
MARRIAGE

Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage

and Registration of Marriages

Recommendation on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for

Marriage and Registration of Marriages
RIGHT TO HEALTH

Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS

RIGHT TO WORK AND TO FAIR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122)

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise

Convention, 1948 (No. 87)

Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No.

98)
SLAVERY, SLAVERY-LIKE PRACTICES AND FORCED LABOUR

Slavery Convention

Protocol amending the Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25

September 1926

Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave

Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)

Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)

Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the

Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others

Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,

Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS

International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All

Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICPMW)

Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air,

supplementing the United Nations Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime
NATIONALITY, STATELESSNESS, ASYLUM AND REFUGEES

Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness

Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons

Convention relating to the Status of Refugees

Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees

Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals who are not

nationals of the country in which they live
WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, INCLUDING
GENOCIDE

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide

Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War

Crimes and Crimes against Humanity

Principles of international co-operation in the detection, arrest,

extradition and punishment of persons guilty of war crimes and
crimes against humanity

Statute of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda

Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

HUMANITARIAN LAW

Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War

Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in

Time of War

Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,

and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed
Conflicts (Protocol I)

Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,

and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed
Conflicts (Protocol II)