GLOSSARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS

ABUSE OF RIGHTS

Legal principle that constitutes a type of limitation on the exercise of

thehuman rightsconsistent in theprohibitionto carry out those
acts that are antisocial because they cause harm to a non-interest
especially protected, even if carried out in the exercise of
an objectively legal right.

2. UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

It is one of the main bodies of the United Nations. It is
composed of representatives from all Member States. The
General Assembly issues statements and adopts conventions on
topics related to human rights, debate relevant topics on the
same and censorship of states that violate human rights. The
actions of the General Assembly are governed by its own Charter of the
United Nations.

3. CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS

It is the initial document in which the United Nations present their
goals, functions, and responsibilities; adopted in San Francisco in
1945.

4. INTERNATIONAL CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS

This Letter is the sum of three documents: the universal declaration of
human rights (UDHR), the international covenant on rights
civilians and politicians (ICCPR) and its Optional Protocol, and the pact
international on economic, social and cultural rights
(PIDESC).

5. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE NATIONS

UNIFIED
Organism formed by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the
United Nations to address human rights; it is one of the
first and most important organizations dedicated to rights
international humans.
Recommendations on the Human Rights Charter, the
Statements on civil liberties and the legal status of women
protection of minorities, and the prevention of discrimination on grounds of
of race, sex, language or religion: Resolution 1503 of 1970 provides
receive communications that reveal manifest violations of rights
humans.

6. INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

It is an entity affiliated with the Organization of American States, OAS.

whose main function is to defend the practice of rights
humans and serve as an advisory body in this regard. It was created
in 1959.

7. AMERICAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

It is a treaty signed by states of the American continent. It is known

also known as the Pact of San José, since the meeting in which it originated
took place in that city in 1969. It began to take effect in 1978,
when the number of eleven ratifications required was fulfilled
agreement. Currently, 23 countries have ratified it. It generates obligations
specific to the States.

8. INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

It is a court created by the Organization of American States, OAS,

to address cases of human rights violations in which
involved is a State that has ratified the Convention. The cases
they are reported to the Commission and it brings them before the Court, in
representation of the victims. The Commission decides the cases that will
the Court.

9. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

It is a court with international jurisdiction created by agreements between

States within the framework of the United Nations to judge individuals
that have committed serious crimes against humanity. Body
independent of all systems for the protection of rights
Humans, approved by the Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries
on July 17, 1998, in Rome, Italy.
When the Statute that created it comes into force, it must take charge of
investigate and punish those responsible for crimes against humanity
humanity, of war, of genocide and of aggression. The Criminal Court
International will come into effect when sixty States of the
International community ratify the treaty approved in Rome.
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Culture encompasses values, attitudes, norms, ideas, habits.
internalized and perceptions, as well as their concrete forms of
expression: they are part of the culture, for example, roles, structures and
social relationships, the codes of conduct and the explanations of
behavior that is considerably shared among the
people of a group. Culture is learned and internalized, and it is
influential in people's actions and in the interpretations of
their circumstances, while at the same time people influence
in the content of culture by complying with its precepts or putting them into
trial canvas.

11. STATEMENT

Document in which an agreement on rules is enshrined that is not

legally binding. United Nations conferences, such
the Vienna Conference on Human Rights of 1993 and the
1995 Beijing World Conference on Women usually produces two
types of statements: one written by the representatives of the
governments, and another drafted by non-governmental organizations
(NGO). The United Nations General Assembly frequently
makes statements that are influential but are legally non-binding
binding.
a) Solemn manifestation of will to establish the position of one Party
about the course of a negotiation. It morally commits. It is
a statement, proposition, proclamation or enunciation. (Statement
of the existence of a legal situation.
b) The term also exists as a designation of agreement on
a topic of interest among subjects of International Law, which does not
has legally binding character, but is a binding of
moral character, linked to the principles that represent conscience
international public. Example: Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, United Nations, UN
Geneva, 1948.

[Link] DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR)

Adopted by the General Assembly on December 10, 1948. It is a

Essential document of the United Nations in which the ...
criteria and standards by which human rights are governed. All the
Member States have expressed agreement to comply
to the UDHR. Although the intention was for this declaration to have
non-binding character, over time its various provisions
they have garnered considerable respect from states, so much so that today
One can say that they are part of international law.
customary.
13. CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
They are the rights of citizens to enjoy freedom and equality;
sometimes they are called first generation rights. The
civil rights encompass freedom of worship, thought, and expression, the
vote, participation in political life, and access to information.

[Link] RIGHTS
The rights of groups to protect their interests and identities.

15. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS

Rights related to the production, development, and administration of
materials for the needs of life. They encompass the right to
preserve and develop one's own cultural identity. They are rights that
they provide people with social and economic security, and sometimes they
it refers to them with the names of 'rights oriented towards the
"security" or "second-generation rights". Examples include the
the right to have food, housing, and medical services.

[Link] LAW (The Geneva Conventions)

They are rules of conduct for states and other belligerent parties in
armed conflicts. Humanitarian law clarifies the obligations
between states, for example regarding kidnappings, weapons
nuclear, airspace, extradition, and laws that regulate the
behavior of the parties involved in the armed conflict.

[Link] RIGHTS
They are the rights that all people possess by virtue of their common
humanity; they are rights related to living with freedom and dignity.
These rights grant everyone moral demands regarding conduct.
of individuals and against the design of current social practices. The
Human rights are universal, inalienable, and indivisible. They express
our deepest commitments to ensure all
people the security in the enjoyment of goods and freedoms that is
necessary to live with dignity.
A human right is fulfilled when the individual can enjoy
freedoms that this right concerns and can enjoy this
right in conditions of safety. The human rights of the
people are carried out if sufficient institutions are established
social measures to protect them if the subjects of rights are seen
threatened in their exercise of the freedoms covered by these
rights.
[Link] INTERNATIONAL LAW
Laws that can be made binding for States even if not
they are written, if there is adherence to them by custom.
When a sufficient number of states have started to behave
as if a custom were law, it becomes law 'through use'.
This is one of the main sources of international law.

19. ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL RIGHTS Y

DEVELOPMENT
They are sometimes called 'third-generation rights'.
With them it is recognized that people have the right to live in a
safe and healthy environmental surroundings, and that groups of people have
right to cultural, political, and economic development.

20. MORAL RIGHTS

They are rights based on general principles of equity and
justice; they are usually based, although not always, on belief systems of a type
religious. People often think that they have a right
moral, even when they do not have a legal right. For example, during
the civil rights movement in the United States had
protests against laws that prohibited blacks and the
whites attended the same schools, because according to the
protesters this legislation violated their moral rights.

[Link] RIGHTS
Rights that all people possess simply by the fact that
they are human beings.

22. POLITICAL RIGHTS

They are the rights that people have to participate in political life.
of their communities and of their society. One example is the right to vote.
to choose their government, another the right to run as a candidate
in the elections.

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A term that is often synonymous with 'country'. It is a group of people that
they permanently occupy a fixed territory that has laws and government
common and can process international matters.
24. MEMBER STATES
Countries that are members of the United Nations.

25. STATE(S) PARTY(IES)

They are the countries that have RATIFIED a PACT or a CONVENTION
and therefore are obliged to adhere to its provisions. The
PARTIES to an international agreement are the countries that have
ratified said agreement and therefore have become obligated
legally to comply with its provisions. Governments are representatives
of states. Once they have ratified an international treaty, all
subsequent governments of that State will have to adhere to it. If not
They comply with what is specified in treaties ratified by governments.
Previously, the international community can impose sanctions.

26. SIGN, SIGNATURE

In human rights, it is the first step taken in ratification.
of a treaty. Sign a declaration, convention or one of the pacts
constitutes a promise to adhere to the principles embedded in the
document and comply with its spirit.

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The following is included in the topic of gender: the interpretations
cultural aspects of biological sex; the definitions of what is considered to be
it is feminine and masculine within cultural and social contexts
specific, and the expectations of women and men, boys and girls, with
regarding these definitions; and the social, economic, and
policies between men and women in specific societies.

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The systematic killing of people on account of their race or ethnicity.

29. INALIENABLE
Human rights are inalienable: no one can be deprived of
his rights by other people, nor can he deprive himself of them
voluntarily.

30. INDIVISIBILITY
Human rights are indivisible in two senses. First, there are no
possible hierarchy among the different types of rights. The rights
civilians, political, economic, social, and cultural are all equally
necessary to live with dignity. Second, some rights do not
can be suppressed in order to promote others. Civil rights and
politicians cannot be violated to promote rights
economic, social, and cultural. Neither can the
economic, social, and cultural rights to promote rights
civilians and politicians.

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Concept that refers to the complementarity of legislation
about human rights. For example, someone's ability to
participating in its government is directly affected by your right to
to express oneself, to be polite, and even to obtain the needs of the
life.

32. CONVENTIONAL MECHANISMS OF THE NATIONS SYSTEM

UNITED

These mechanisms are created by virtue of a treaty. As is the case

Committee of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Committee of the Covenant
of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Committee against the
Torture; Committee on the Rights of the Child; Committee against Discrimination
Racial.

33. PROVISIONAL MEASURES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION

OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The precautionary and provisional measures respond to facts.

extraordinary that gather three basic precepts: urgency, severity, and
to avoid irreparable harm. They constitute a guarantee of a character
budget, they seek to effectively protect fundamental rights,
as long as they intend to prevent irreparable harm to the human person, in
the cases in which the severity requirements are met (very urgent in
the cases of provisional measures) and urgency. These measures impose
the State clear and specific obligations, consisting of ensuring the
victim protection, in order to avoid irreparable harm.

The precautionary measures are found in Article 25 of the Regulation.

from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in its numeral
first establishes that 'in case of seriousness and urgency and whenever'
it is necessary according to the available information, the Commission
may, on its own initiative or at the request of a party, request the State to
the adoption of precautionary measures to prevent harm
irreparable a the people.
Protective measures are generally aimed at protecting life and
the integrity of individuals, as well as to initiate investigations
tending to clarify the factors generating risk. It is of
warn that the Commission urges the State and the petitioners to
begin a process of negotiation aimed at reaching an agreement in
relationship with the implementation of such measures. Among the limits
we found that the measure must be practicable, effective, and possible.
These criteria are relevant for reconciling the relevant measures,
Well, no one is obligated to do the impossible. Once decreed the
protective measures, the Commission is empowered to follow up
to the fulfillment of what was agreed upon and implemented. For this reason and in the
framework of the ordinary sessions held in Washington D.C., and in
the hearings held in Costa Rica schedule hearings on
precautionary and provisional measures for the petitioners and the
Government make the relevant observations. Likewise, the Rapporteur
from the IACHR for Colombia may hold follow-up sessions on the
measures precautionary measures
in the country.

34. NON BINDING

It is a document, such as a statement, that does not entail
legally binding obligations. It is possible, however, that it entails
moral obligations or that acquire legal force, such as the
Customary international law.

35. INTERNATIONAL ORGANISMS

Subjects of International Law that have been established through

treaties, intended for the management of collective interests
through the action of permanent organs. Their purposes can be
general or specific and by their area of action can be of
universal or regional character. They are international organizations the
United Nations Organization, UN, and the Organization of
American States, OAS, among others

[Link] ORGANIZATIONS (IGO)

They are organizations sponsored by certain governments that try to
coordinate their efforts; some are regional (for example, the
Council of Europe or the Organization of African Unity), others are
alliances (such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
NATO); and there is a third group that is dedicated to specific purposes
(this is the United Nations Center for Human Rights,
and the United Nations Organization for Education, Science
and Culture, UNESCO).
37. INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO)
Established in 1919 as part of the Treaty of Peace of Versailles to
improve working conditions and promote social justice. The ILO is
became a specialized agency of the United Nations in
1946.

[Link]-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)

Organizations formed by people who are not part of the government.
NGOs monitor the processes of the agencies dedicated to
human rights, such as the Human Rights Commission, and
they constitute true "surveillance organizations" of rights
humans that fall within their mandate. Some are of large size
and operate at an international level (such as the Red Cross or
Amnesty International), while others are small and local in scope.
local (an example would be an organization formed to advocate for
the disabled in a particular city). NGOs play a
important role because they influence the policy of the United Nations, and
Many of them hold consultative status close to the United Nations.
United. The monitoring bodies of the treaties are the committees
formally established by the main international treaties
about human rights in order to monitor compliance with the
treated by the States Parties. Organizations have been established for this.
type regarding the six core treaties of the United Nations
about human rights, with the intention that they carry out the
following up on the efforts made by the States Parties to
implement its provisions.

PACT
Binding agreement between states; used as a synonym for convention
and treated. The main agreements on human rights
international, both signed in 1966, are the international covenant
on civil and political rights (ICCPR) and the international covenant on
economic, social and cultural rights (ICESCR).

40. INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND

POLITICIANS (ICCPR)

Adopted in 1966; came into force in 1976. The ICCPR declares that all
people possess a wide range of civil rights
politicians. It is one of the documents that make up the International Charter
of human rights.
41. INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC RIGHTS,
SOCIAL and CULTURAL (PIDESC)
Adopted in 1966; came into force in 1976. The ICESCR states that all
people have a wide range of economic rights,
social and cultural. It is one of the documents that make up the Charter
international human rights.

[Link] PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

PUBLIC

Set of guiding legal rules or norms that are constituted in the

spine of the International Legal System. They are norms of
mandatory compliance by the subjects of rights
International. Among others, the principles of International Law are:

Principle of Non-Intervention in the Internal Affairs of States:

intervention can be defined as the act by which a State, or
group of States intervenes by way of authority in matters that
they are under the domestic jurisdiction of another, imposing on him a
determined behavior. The normative scope of the Principle is
practically absolute and only concedes in situations where the Council
of the United Nations Security categorizes as threats or
breakdowns of peace.

Principle of Sovereign Equality of all Members of the

International Community.

Principle of the Free Determination of Peoples: the application of

this principle to the state's population is presented suggestively
like the community dimension of rights and public freedoms
of the citizens, translates popular sovereignty and makes it a reality
Democratic state.

Principle of International Cooperation in the Maintenance of Peace

and Global Security, in the solution of international problems
of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian nature.

Principle of Good Faith: compliance in good faith of the

contractual obligations. Thus all rules and obligations
international obligations must be fulfilled in good faith by the subjects of
the ones that result in being opposable.

Principle of Abandoning Recourse to Threat or Use of

Force: natural complement of the Principle that compels to arrange
peacefully the controversies. Seeks to eradicate the unilateral resource
by force.

Principle of the Peaceful Resolution of Disputes: today it is imperative

for all States to resolve their disputes by means
 exclusively peaceful. The Parties in a dispute will try to
to find a solution through any peaceful means of resolution.

The nature of all these principles is imperative, ius cogens. These

principles serve as the foundation of foreign relations of the
State Colombian.

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It is a treaty that modifies another treaty (for example, by adding new
substantive procedures or provisions.

RATIFICATION, TO RATIFY
It is the process by which the legislative body of the State gives
confirmation of the government's action by signing a treaty. It is a
formal procedure with which the State legally commits to a
treated after accepting it.

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A treaty is a formal agreement between states that defines and modifies their
mutual duties and obligations; this term is used as a synonym for
convention and pact. When conventions are adopted by the
United Nations General Assembly, create obligations that are
legally binding for the Member States that have subscribed to the
treaty. When a national government ratifies a treaty, the articles
included in it become part of its legal obligations
within the country itself.
Treaties, pacts, and conventions on human rights are part
of international law. Used interchangeably, the terms
"treaty", "pact" and "convention" refer to legally binding agreements
binding between states. These agreements define the duties of the
States Parties that have signed the treaty, pact or convention. They are from
application in times of peace and conflict. Treaties on
human rights regulate the obligations of states towards the
people from their own territory (rather than to other states).
Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a
convention has become part of the "common law or
customary" and is currently considered legally binding
for all states.
The Treaties that recognize Human Rights and specify what they are
non-modifiable in a state of emergency. Congress must prioritize
the process of the draft laws through which
they approve. Once ratified, they prevail in internal order for being
part of the so-called 'block of constitutionality.'
46. AD HOC INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNALS
International legal bodies created by resolutions of the Council
of UN Security to investigate, prosecute and, in its
case, to punish those responsible for international crimes
committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991, thus
as in the territory of Rwanda and other neighboring countries between January of
1994 and December 1994. Both courts were created a short time
after disastrous armed conflicts in which atrocities were committed
a countless number of international crimes (Cassese, 2003: 15).
These organs share certain characteristics: (i) their creation is due to
to the decision of a political body such as the Security Council;
They were established with a specific objective and, therefore, must
disappear as soon as said objective is achieved, and (iii) were
created after the commission of facts that are under their
knowledge.
Both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has its own statutes–
legal document that establishes the legal basis for its
functioning–, and each of these organs is physically located
established in different cities: The Hague, Netherlands and Arusha, Tanzania,
respectively.
Both courts were endowed with powers to prosecute the
responsible for the commission of certain international crimes
genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity despite
of some important differences in the definition of crimes
established in their own statutes.
In addition, their authority to prosecute those responsible is
concurrent with the respective national judicial bodies, which
it means that anyone could carry out the prosecution; however,
in case of conflict between these international courts and the
national courts, the former will have priority to know the
case.
To date, a significant number of people had been
effectively tried, convicted or acquitted by these courts
ad hoc, which, in accordance with the work strategy
presented by each before the Security Council, must
complete their duties for the year 2010.
Without denying the importance of these courts in the fight against the
impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of certain crimes
internationally, it is necessary to acknowledge the criticisms that have been made
to the functioning of them. These courts, which have
represented a selective justice that applies exclusively to
certain cases despite the fact that there are many others with the
same characteristics, it is also a justice that seems distant from the
reality of the societies that lived through the conflict and that continue
facing problems in its operation which, in practice, is
translate in long sentences that, in some cases, may be
questioned from the perspective of the rights of the defendant. Without
embargo, the ad hoc international criminal tribunals can and must
represent an opportunity for learning in development and
consolidation of other international judicial bodies, such as the
International Criminal Court (see International Criminal Court).

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Human rights belong to everyone, and all people enjoy
of identical status in relation to these rights. Non-compliance
In the respect of the human rights of an individual, it has the same
I believe that non-compliance with respect for the rights of anyone
another person: it is neither better nor worse, nor does it depend on gender, race, ethnicity,
nationality or other distinction.

[Link] RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

They are those unlawful behaviors that are harmful to thegoods of the
personalitythat violate human rights, in
how much as a member of humanity. They can be carried out by the
State, either directly or indirectly -by omission-, under the protection
of hispowerhegemonic. They can also be carried out by
individuals and social groups.

[Link] OR IN A SITUATION OF VULNERABILITY

They are those groups of people who suffer permanently or
particularly serious a situation of discrimination, inequality and/or
intolerance due to circumstances such as race, color, sex,
religion, economic situation, opinions and preferences of any kind.
The people who are part of these groups are not vulnerable but
or in themselves; they are vulnerable because the governments and/or the
societies have been placed in a situation of vulnerability due to
prejudices, discrimination, or the lack of adequate public policies that
they guarantee social equality.

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Attitude that consists of despising and fearing everything strange. Many

sometimes it takes on a violent character.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

Anaya A. (2005) Glossary of basic terms about rights

humans. Recovered from:
The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable content.
5_virtual_library/1_d_h/[Link].
Cassese, A. (2003). International Criminal Court. New York, Oxford
University Press.
Statute of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons
Those Responsible for Committing Serious Violations of International Law
Humanitarian in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991,
approved by Resolution 827 (1993) of the Security Council
United Nations, on May 25, 1993 at its 3175th.
session.
Flowers N. (ed.), Human Rights Here and Now (Human Rights)
here and now) (Human Rights USA Resource Center, Resource Center on
Human Rights, United States), 1998. Adapted from Julie Mertus et al.
Local Action/Global Change, Ed O'Brien et al
Human Rights for All, and Frank Newman and
David Weissbrodt, International Human Rights: Law, Policy and Process
International Human Rights: legislation, policy, and process.