International Law

CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS

THE INTERNATIONAL BILL OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966
• 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

UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

In addition to the International Bill of Rights and the core human rights treaties, there are many other universal instruments relating to human rights. A non-exhaustive selection is listed below. The legal status of these instruments varies: declarations, principles, guidelines, standard rules and recommendations have no binding legal effect, but such instruments have an undeniable moral force and provide practical guidance to States in their conduct; covenants, statutes, protocols and conventions are legally-binding for those States that ratify or accede to them.

WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY

• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
• United Nations Millennium Declaration

THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION

• United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
• General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962, "Permanent sovereignty over natural resources"
• International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries

RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND MINORITIES

• Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169)
• Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION

• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)
• International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
• Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice
• Convention against Discrimination in Education
• Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission to be responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may arise between States Parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education
• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief
• World Conference against Racism, 2001 (Durban Declaration and Programme of Action)

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW-OP)
• Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict
• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Principles relating to the status of national institutions (The Paris Principles)
• Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

MARRIAGE

• Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages
• Recommendation on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages