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Chapter VIII
International human rights law

Main instruments

35. Universal Declaration of Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349

36. International Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination . . 353

37. International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362

37.(a) Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on economic, social
and cultural rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369

38. International Covenant on civil and political rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375

38.(a) Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on civil and political rights. 389
38.(b) Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on civil and
political rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. . . . . . . . . . 392

39. Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women . . . . . 394
39.(a) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403

40. Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
40.(a) Optional Protocol to the Convention against torture and other
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. . . . . . . . . . . . . 416

41. Convention on the rights of the child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425

41.(a) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
41.(b) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the child on the
sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. . . . . . . . . . . 444
41.(c) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the child
on a communications procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

42. International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers
and members of their families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

43. Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482

43.(a) Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of
persons with disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501

44. International Convention for the protection of all persons from

enforced disappearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
 Table of contents xi

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Implementation and monitoring

45. Procedure for dealing with communications relating to violations of

human rights and fundamental freedoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517

46. Procedure for dealing with communications concerning human rights . . . . . . . . 519

47. Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521

48. Human Rights Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541

49. United Nations Human Rights Council: Institution-building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

50. Strengthening and enhancing the effective functioning of the

human rights treaty body system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 562

Self-determination

51. Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples . . . 568

52. Permanent sovereignty over natural resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570

(See also Declaration on principles of international law concerning friendly relations and
co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,
Chapter VII, No. 31)

Indigenous peoples

53. United Nations Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples . . . . . . . . . . . . 572

Development

54. Declaration on the right to development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580

Religion or belief

55. Declaration on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination

based on religion or belief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584

Business and human rights

56. Guiding Principles on business and human rights: implementing the

United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

Right to a remedy and reparation

57. Basic Principles and Guidelines on the right to a remedy and reparation for victims
of gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of
international humanitarian law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605
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Chapter IX
Movement of persons and international migration law

Refugees

58. Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . . . . . 615

59. Convention relating to the status of refugees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

59.(a) Protocol relating to the status of refugees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634

60. Declaration on territorial asylum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636

Statelessness

61. Convention relating to the status of stateless persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 638

62. Convention on the reduction of statelessness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651

Internally displaced persons

63. Guiding principles on internal displacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 657

Migrant workers

(See International Convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members
of their families, Chapter VIII, No. 42)
 Foreword

The International Law Handbook was prepared by the Codification Division of the Office
of Legal Affairs under the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dis-
semination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, pursuant to General Assembly resolu-
tion 70/116 of 14 December 2015.
Ambassador Emmanuel K. Dadzie of Ghana proposed the establishment of this programme
when he served as Vice-Chairman of the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly at its 18th ses-
sion in 1963. Following efforts led by Afghanistan, Belgium, Ghana and Ireland, the General Assem-
bly decided, by resolution 2099 (XX) of 20 December 1965, to establish the Programme of Assistance
to contribute towards a better knowledge of international law as a means of strengthening interna-
tional peace and security and promoting friendly relations and cooperation among States.
The International Law Handbook is a collection of instruments used by the Codification Divi-
sion as study materials for its training courses under the Programme of Assistance. This publication
was prepared to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Programme in 2015 and
to promote the teaching and dissemination of international law around the world. It is available on
the United Nations Programme of Assistance website as well as the Audiovisual Library of Interna-
tional Law free of charge.* It may be reproduced for academic purposes to further the teaching and
dissemination of international law anywhere in the world.
The International Law Handbook is intended to be used as a general work of reference. It
comprises four books:
Book One contains the Charter of the United Nations and the Statute of the International
Court of Justice, as well as instruments relating to the law of treaties, subjects of international law,
diplomatic and consular relations, international responsibility, peaceful settlement of international
disputes, international peace and security, international human rights law as well as movement of
persons and international migration law.
Book Two contains instruments relating to the law of armed conflict, international criminal
law as well as disarmament and non-proliferation.
Book Three contains instruments relating to the law of the sea, international environmental
law and international watercourses.
Book Four contains instruments relating to international labour law, law of cultural relations
as well as international trade and investment law.
For ease of reference, each book includes an overview of the content of all four books, as well
as a detailed table of contents for each respective volume.
The present collection of international instruments is not exhaustive. The texts incorporate
amendments and corrections to the instruments subsequent to their entry into force, as appropri-
ate, and whether or not the amendments have entered into force for all parties. Only the texts of the
instruments as kept in the custody of the respective depositary constitute the authentic versions. The
International Law Handbook is issued for information and educational purposes only.

*
See, respectively, http://legal.un.org/poa/ and http://legal.un.org/avl.

xiii
 Chapter I

Charter of the United Nations and

Statute of the International Court of Justice
 1. Charter Of The United Nations
Done at San Francisco on 26 June 1945
Entry into force: 24 October 1945

We the peoples of the United Nations

determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our life-
time has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person,
in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties
and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
and for these ends
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and
to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and
to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force
shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement
of all peoples,
have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of
San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed
to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization
to be known as the United Nations.

CHAPTER I: PURPOSES AND PRINCIPLES

Article 1
The Purposes of the United Nations are:
1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective
measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of
aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conform-
ity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international
disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights
and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal
peace;
3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic,
social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human
rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion;
and
4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common
ends.

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in
accordance with the following Principles.

3
4 I. Charter of the United Nations and ICJ Statute

1. The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.
2. All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from mem-
bership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present
Charter.
3. All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner
that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.
4. All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force
against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner incon-
sistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.
5. All Members shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accord-
ance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any state against which
the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action.
6. The Organization shall ensure that states which are not Members of the United Nations act
in accordance with these Principles so far as may be necessary for the maintenance of international
peace and security.
7. Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene
in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the
Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall
not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll.

CHAPTER II: MEMBERSHIP

Article 3
The original Members of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated in
the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco, or having previ-
ously signed the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, sign the present Charter and
ratify it in accordance with Article 110.

Article 4
1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the
obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and
willing to carry out these obligations.
2. The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a
decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Article 5
A Member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been
taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of
membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exer-
cise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.

Article 6
A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained
in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the
recommendation of the Security Council.
 Charter of the United Nations 5

CHAPTER III: ORGANS

Article 7
1. There are established as principal organs of the United Nations: a General Assembly, a Secu-
rity Council, an Economic and Social Council, a Trusteeship Council, an International Court of
Justice and a Secretariat.
2. Such subsidiary organs as may be found necessary may be established in accordance with
the present Charter.

Article 8
The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to partici-
pate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs.

CHAPTER IV: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

COMPOSITION
Article 9
1. The General Assembly shall consist of all the Members of the United Nations.
2. Each Member shall have not more than five representatives in the General Assembly.

FUNCTIONS and POWERS

Article 10
The General Assembly may discuss any questions or any matters within the scope of the pre-
sent Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any organs provided for in the present
Charter, and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations to the Members of the
United Nations or to the Security Council or to both on any such questions or matters.

Article 11
1. The General Assembly may consider the general principles of co-operation in the mainte-
nance of international peace and security, including the principles governing disarmament and the
regulation of armaments, and may make recommendations with regard to such principles to the
Members or to the Security Council or to both.
2. The General Assembly may discuss any questions relating to the maintenance of interna-
tional peace and security brought before it by any Member of the United Nations, or by the Security
Council, or by a state which is not a Member of the United Nations in accordance with Article 35,
paragraph 2, and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations with regard to any
such questions to the state or states concerned or to the Security Council or to both. Any such ques-
tion on which action is necessary shall be referred to the Security Council by the General Assembly
either before or after discussion.
3. The General Assembly may call the attention of the Security Council to situations which are
likely to endanger international peace and security.
4. The powers of the General Assembly set forth in this Article shall not limit the general scope
of Article 10.

Article 12
1. While the Security Council is exercising in respect of any dispute or situation the functions
assigned to it in the present Charter, the General Assembly shall not make any recommendation
with regard to that dispute or situation unless the Security Council so requests.
6 I. Charter of the United Nations and ICJ Statute

2. The Secretary-General, with the consent of the Security Council, shall notify the General
Assembly at each session of any matters relative to the maintenance of international peace and
security which are being dealt with by the Security Council and shall similarly notify the General
Assembly, or the Members of the United Nations if the General Assembly is not in session, imme-
diately the Security Council ceases to deal with such matters.

Article 13
1. The General Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of:
a. promoting international co-operation in the political field and encouraging the progressive
development of international law and its codification;
b. promoting international co-operation in the economic, social, cultural, educational, and
health fields, and assisting in the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all
without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
2. The further responsibilities, functions and powers of the General Assembly with respect to
matters mentioned in paragraph 1 (b) above are set forth in Chapters IX and X.

Article 14
Subject to the provisions of Article 12, the General Assembly may recommend measures for the
peaceful adjustment of any situation, regardless of origin, which it deems likely to impair the general
welfare or friendly relations among nations, including situations resulting from a violation of the
provisions of the present Charter setting forth the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.

Article 15
1. The General Assembly shall receive and consider annual and special reports from the Secu-
rity Council; these reports shall include an account of the measures that the Security Council has
decided upon or taken to maintain international peace and security.
2. The General Assembly shall receive and consider reports from the other organs of the Unit-
ed Nations.

Article 16
The General Assembly shall perform such functions with respect to the international trustee-
ship system as are assigned to it under Chapters XII and XIII, including the approval of the trustee-
ship agreements for areas not designated as strategic.

Article 17
1. The General Assembly shall consider and approve the budget of the Organization.
2. The expenses of the Organization shall be borne by the Members as apportioned by the
General Assembly.
3. The General Assembly shall consider and approve any financial and budgetary arrange-
ments with specialized agencies referred to in Article 57 and shall examine the administrative budg-
ets of such specialized agencies with a view to making recommendations to the agencies concerned.

VOTING
Article 18
1. Each member of the General Assembly shall have one vote.
2. Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds
majority of the members present and voting. These questions shall include: recommendations with
respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, the election of the non-permanent