Human Rights Law

The UN human rights system comprises Charter-based bodies established under the UN Charter (1945) and Treaty bodies (Committees) created by international human rights treaties. Charter-based bodies seek to uphold international human rights in general, while treaty bodies address and monitor State compliance with human rights obligations in the particular treaty under which they were established.  

More information available on the UN Human Rights bodies from the OHCHR website.

The United Nations Human Rights Treaty System Fact Sheet, prepared in 2012 by the OHCHR, provides an excellent introduction to the core international human rights treaties and treaty bodies.

More information on International Human Rights Law from the OHCHR website.

There are 9 core international human rights instruments.

1. The Charter of the United Nations

2. The so-called International Bill of Human Rights, which comprises:

a) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

• History, commentary and preparatory documents on the UN's Audiovisual Library of International Law
• The Universal Declaration sets a general common standard for the achievement of human rights, but is not a legally binding instrument. The rights set out in the Universal Declaration have been subsequently transformed into a legally binding framework of international human rights through treaties. 

b) The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, opened for signature 16 December 1966, 993 UNTS 3 (entered into force 3 January 1976) (ICESCR)

• Monitoring body Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database
• History, commentary and preparatory documents on the UN's Audiovisual Library of International Law

and the ICESCR's Optional Protocol (2008)

c) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, opened for signature 16 December 1966, 999 UNTS 171 and  1057 UNTS 407 (entered into force 23 March 1976) (ICCPR)

• Monitoring body Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database
• History, commentary and preparatory documents on the UN's Audiovisual Library of International Law

and the ICCPR's two Optional Protocols:

• Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1976
• Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty 1989

The other core treaties are:

3. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, opened for signature 21 December 1965, 660 UNTS 195 (entered into force 4 January 1969) (ICERD)

• Monitoring body Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
• History, commentary and preparatory documents on the UN's Audiovisual Library of International Law
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, opened for signature 18 Dec 1979,  1249 UNTS 13 (entered into force 3 September 1981) (CEDAW)   

• Monitoring body Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

5. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, opened for signature 
10 Dec 1984, 1465 UNTS 85 (entered into force 26 June 1987) (CAT)

• Monitoring body Committee Against Torture (CAT)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

6. Convention on the Rights of the Child, opened for signature 20 Nov 1989, 1577 UNTS 3 (entered into force 2 September 1990) (CRC) 

• Monitoring body Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

7. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, opened for signature 18 Dec 1990, 2220 UNTS 3 (entered into force 1 July 2003) (ICMW)

• Monitoring body Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

8. International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, opened for signature 20 Dec 2006, 2716 UNTS 3 (entered into force 23 December 2010) (CPED)

• Monitoring body Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

9. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, opened for signature 13 December 2006, 2515 UNTS 3 (entered into force 3 May 2008) (CRPD)

• Monitoring body Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
• Check ratification, reservations and current status in the UN Treaty Collection Status of Treaties database

Use the Status of Ratification Interactive Dashboard to see at a glance maps of the ratification status of 18 human rights treaties, or the status of a country or region with regard to all 18 treaties.