International Human Rights Law
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The United Nations Human Rights System: Treaties, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council
UN Core Human Rights Treaties and Treaty Bodies | The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) | Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council
Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly in 1948, nine core United Nations international human rights treaties have been adopted and binding on States that have ratified them. There are ten human rights treaty bodies, which are all committees of independent experts. This means they do not represent states, but are known for their independence and expertise in the relevant subject matters. Nine of the treaty bodies monitor the implementation of the core international human rights treaties by the States that have ratified them. The tenth treaty body, the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture was established under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture to monitor places of detention in States parties to the Optional Protocol. Each treaty body is created in accordance with the specific provisions of the relevant treaty.
In the list below, the treaties are found at the links along with links to other information such as the list of States that have ratified the treaty. Ratification means that the treaty is binding on the state in question. Ratifications of treaties can also be found online in the UN Treaty Collection.
In addition, the UN Human Rights Council is responsible for the Universal Periodic Review the overall human rights record of each member State of the United Nations every four years. The Human Rights Council also has a system of Special Procedures including Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups on specific themes or countries.
UN Core Human Rights Treaties and Treaty Bodies
See the UN main page for links to the UN Human Rights Bodies Websites. To determine which UN human rights treaties have been ratified by a particular country, please visit Bayefsky.com where you can also see the country’s Reporting History, Concluding Observations, Jurisprudence and other information.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 16 December 1966, entry into force 23 March 1976.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, entry into force 1976.
- Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty, 15 December 1989, entry into force 11 July 1991.
- Treaty Body for ICCPR and the two Optional Protocols: Human Rights Committee
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), 16 December 1966, entry into force 3 January 1976.
- Individual communications Mechanism: Optional Protocol on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ESCR) UN General Assembly, A/RES/63/117, 10 December 2008. The OP-ESCR was opened for signature and ratification in 2009 and is to come into force with 10 ratifications.
- Treaty Body for ICESCR: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), 7 March 1966, Entry into force 4 January 1969.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: State Declaration of Article 14 of the Convention.
- Treaty Body for ICERD: Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
- Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 18 December 1979, entry into force 3 September 1981.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Treaty Body for CEDAW and its Optional Protocol: Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), 10 December 1984, entry into force 26 June 1987
- Treaty Body for UNCAT: Committee Against Torture (CAT)
- Individual Communications Mechanism: State Declaration under Article 22 of the Convention.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT), 18 December 2002, entry into force 22 June 2006
- Treaty Body for OPCAT: Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT)
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 20 November 1989, entry into force 2 September 1990.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-SC), 25 May 2000, entered into force on 18 January 2002
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, 25 May 2000, entry into force 12 February 2002.
- IndiVidual Communications Mechanism: Optional Protocol to the UN CRC on a communications procedure, 19 December 2011. The bProtocol opened for signature in March, 2012, and is to enter into force upon ratification by 10 UN Member States.
- Treaty Body for CRC and its OPs: Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW), 20 November 1989, entry into force 2 September 1990.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: State Declaration under Article 77 of the Convention.
- Treaty Body for CMW and its OPs: Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW)
- Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD), 13 December 2006, entry into force 3 May 2008.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Treaty Body for CPRD and its OP: Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
- International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED), 20 December 2006, entry into force 23 December 2010.
- Individual Communications Mechanism: State Declaration under Article 31 of the Convention.
- Treaty Body for CED: Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a review of the human rights performance of each UN Member State every four years, with 48 States reviewed each year. For more information, and a schedule for review of each country, see:
- UPR main page.
- UPR Info, a Geneva-based NGO providing information and capacity building tools for UN member States and NGOs on the UPR mechanism
- Data Base of UPR Recommendations by country and issue.
- Information for NGOs
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council
Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council include thematic and country mandates, usually called “Special Rapporteurs” or “Working Groups.” Mandate holders work in their personal capacity, not on behalf of States. They receive no financial compensation for their work. Most Special Rapporteurs receive information from a variety of sources concerning allegations of human rights violations. They may send communications to governments, and in some cases seek visits to countries.
- Special Procedures Main page
- Thematic Mandates including contact information.
- Country Mandates including contact information.
Other treaties related to international human rights
- Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 9 December 1948, entry into force 12 January 1951.
- Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 17 July 1998, entered into force 1 July 2002.
- Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols