Treaties & Conventions
This 1948 document, though not legally binding, laid the groundwork for modern human rights law.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
This UN organ includes all 193 member states and adopts resolutions, though they are not legally binding.
The General Assembly
This court, created by the Rome Statute in 2002, prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes
The International Criminal Court
Founded in 1961, this NGO is known for campaigning against torture and the death penalty and for its global letter-writing campaigns.
Amnesty International
Declarative law should be viewed as a ...
Direction, but is non-binding
Adopted in 1966, this treaty protects civil liberties like the right to life and freedom of expression.
ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
This UN body has 15 members, including 5 permanent ones with veto power, and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
The U.N. Security Council
This court, created by the Rome Statute in 2002, prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes
The International Law Commissions
Based in New York, this NGO investigates and reports on human rights abuses worldwide and issues an annual World Report.
Human Rights Watch
Certain treaties like the ICESCR explains state responsibilities like the right to leisure, education, and housing... Also known as economic rights, what type of law does this actualize under?
Progressive, occurring and changing with material ability of states
Ratified in 1979, this treaty focuses specifically on eliminating discrimination against women.
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
This expert committee monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The Human Rights Committee
This independent court, distinct from the ICC, was established in 1993 to prosecute crimes committed during the Yugoslav Wars.
What is the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)?
This international federation of NGOs focuses on protecting freedom of expression and defending persecuted writers and journalists.
PEN International
This branch of international law governs the treatment of civilians and combatants during armed conflict, often called the "laws of war."
Humanitarian law
This 1989 treaty, one of the most widely ratified in history, guarantees special protections for individuals under 18.
the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
This Geneva-based body reviews countries’ human rights records through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
The Human Rights Council
Headquartered in Paris, this organization promotes global cooperation in education, science, and culture.
UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
This global movement, founded in 1980, focuses on documenting and supporting prisoners of conscience, including human rights defenders in danger.
Frontline Defenders
This 1951 treaty, along with its 1967 Protocol, sets out the rights of displaced persons and the legal obligations of states toward them.
The Refugee Convention
Although often confused as just declarations or conventions, CEDAW and UNDRIP contribute to this system, which monitors compliance with international human rights treaties under the United Nations.
U.N. Treaty Bodies
Often tasked with a thematic focus, these experts are independent contractors that conduct on the ground monitoring and reporting.
Special Rapporteurs
Established in 2009, this regional body promotes and protects human rights among Southeast Asian nations but has no binding enforcement powers.
ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)?
Known internationally by its French name Médecins Sans Frontières, this NGO provides emergency medical aid in conflict zones and during epidemics, often entering areas other organizations cannot.
Doctors without borders
Distinct from humanitarian law, this body of law protects individuals from abuses by their own government in times of peace or war.
Human Rights Law