Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
An Historical Record of the Drafting Process

WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS

INTERNATIONAL BILL OF HUMAN RIGHTS [pdf]

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  
  
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty
    
    
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

THE CORE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

Prevention of Discrimination

• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Rights of Women

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
  
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Rights of the Child

• Convention on the Rights of the Child
  
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict

HR in the Administration of Justice

• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
  
  • Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
    

Social Welfare, Progress and Development

• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

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

MONITORING HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION

Human rights treaty bodies

The United Nations Human Rights Treaty System

Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council Complaint Procedure; UNESCO and ILO procedures

High Commissioner for Human Rights