Human rights

Human rights legal framework

In international law, human rights obligations are those that states have undertaken by signing treaties, which are then ratified by national parliaments and enacted through changing the state's practice. The 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights is by far the most widely accepted definition of human rights, encompassing civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights, all sharing the principles of universality and indivisibility. Its principles have subsequently been further developed in a range of international human rights instruments, some of which have been accepted by most states, others not. These instruments define specific standards for women, children, disabled persons, migrant workers and other vulnerable groups, as well as collective rights for minorities and indigenous groups.

Human rights are also defined in the many treaties generated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) since its creation in 1919.

The human rights framework is designed to be a legally, politically and morally binding set of principles for governments. A distinction must be made between legally binding treaties, covenants, statutes, protocols and conventions, and political statements such as declarations and principles. The UN human rights system also involves a series of organs and institutions designed to promote these rights, including treaty monitoring bodies and special mechanisms. This page introduces a selection of core human rights treaties and treaty monitoring bodies.

Page contents

Where is a good place to start?

• OHCHR Fact sheets. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has produced a series of online fact sheets which provide an accessible introduction to the various aspects of the international human rights system.

UN reform

The human rights system described in this guide may be subject to change, as part of proposals for wider reform of the United Nations.  Please see the UN reform website for further information on all proposed reforms.

International human rights instruments

This section introduces the core human rights treaties or instruments generated within the United Nations and the ILO. The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols.

• International Bill of Human Rights
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

In addition to the Declaration of Human Rights, there are seven core human rights treaties which lay out in more detail what these rights mean. These include the ICESCR and ICCPR, mentioned above, and the following five conventions. The conventions vary in status, as some have been ratified by many more countries than others. Only the ICCPR, ICERD, CEDAW and CAT have complaints procedures.

• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers & Members of their Families (ICRMW)

 Other human rights instruments include:

• OHCHR page on International Law. There are hundreds more legal instruments and political declarations on a wide range of issues that are relevant to international development. The website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights provides links to the full text and ratification status of many of these instruments.
• ILO Labour Standards. Since its creation in 1919, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has generated almost 200 treaties. These treaties lay down basic standards on labour-related issues ranging from child labour to indigenous rights. The international labour standards laid out in these treaties can be accessed on the ILO website.
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The ILO launched a Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in 1998, which reasserts the labour standards laid out in ILO treaties.

Regional treaties

Some regional organisations have also developed their own human rights systems. These systems vary considerably. This section provides links to the regional human rights protection systems.

• African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
• African Union
• Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
• Inter-American Court of Human Rights
• European Court of Human Rights
• European Committee of Social Rights

International treaty monitoring bodies

This section introduces the core international structures and organisations developed to promote and protect human rights. This includes the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, treaty-based human rights committees, and the ILO's systems for enforcing labour rights.

• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is part of the UN Secretariat. It works to raise awareness of human rights and to promote them through dialogue, advice and technical assistance with member governments and other organisations.

Treaty-based human rights bodies are committees of independent experts elected by governments. They work in specific areas laid out by the particular treaty and monitor its implementation by the states that have ratified it. States that have ratified a treaty are required to periodically submit reports on progress to the relevant treaty committee. All the committees consider states' reports. In addition the HRC, CERD, CAT and CEDAW committees examine and decide on complaints.

The following committees deal with complaints:

• The Human Rights Committee monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• The Committee Against Torture
• The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The following committees only consider states' reports:

• The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
• The Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW)
• ILO webpage on Enforcement of Labour Standards

Additional information resources

This section provides links to inter-governmental organisations that have human rights as part of their mandate.

• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: This website includes the full texts of international treaties, information on the UN human rights system, and fact sheets on topic issues. The full list of international conventions, declarations and protocols, and further information including the status of ratification, is available on the International Law section of the OHCHR website. The OHCHR website also has a page on Human Rights Bodies, covering charter bodies, treaty bodies, and other UN agencies and working on human rights.
• African Union: The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights can be accessed at the AU website
• European Union: Information on the European Union's external human rights work is available on the EU website's Human Rights page.
• International Labour Standards: The ILO's International Labour Standards website includes information on ILO treaties and information on ratification and monitoring.
• United Nations: The United Nations has an overview page on human rights, with links to the OHCHR, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Treaties, and a guide to UN human rights documentation.
• UN Reform: Information on the proposed UN reforms is available on the UN website
• UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): The FCO has a page providing information on their human rights programme.

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