Important International Human Rights Instruments:
International Bill of Rights:
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada
- The International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
- The First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (OPT 1)
- The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (OPT 2)
Important Conventions and Treaties:
- The International Conventions on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
- The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (APAR)
- The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
- The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (MWC)
Instruments Classified as per issues (not exhaustive)
- Human Rights Defenders
- Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of the Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: A/RES/53/144.
Proclamation of Teheran:
- Proclamation of Teheran 1968
(Having met at Teheran from April 22 to May 13, 1968 to review the progress made in the twenty years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to formulate a programme for the future)
Rights of Self – Determination:
- Declaration on the Granting of
- General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962 “Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources”.
Prevention of Discrimination:
- United Nation Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
- International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid.
- International Convention against Apartheid in Sports.
- Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
- Convention against Discrimination in Education
- Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission to the responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may arise between states parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education.
- Equal Remuneration Convention.
- Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Relief and Belief.
- Declaration on Fundamental Principles concerning the Contribution to the Mass Media to Strengthening Peace and International Understanding to the Promotion of Human Rights and to Countering Racialism, Apartheid and incitement to War.
- Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice.
- Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
Rights of Women:
- Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
- Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women
- Convention on the Political Rights of Women.
- Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Rights of the Child:
- Declaration on the Rights of the Child.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in armed conflict.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of the Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
- Declaration on Social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children with Special Reference to Foster Placement and Adoption Nationally and Internationally.
Slavery, Servitude, Forced Labour and similar institution and Practices:
- Slavery Convention
- Protocol amending the Slavery Convention
- Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave trade and Institution and Practices Similar to Slavery.
- Forced Labour Convention
- Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
- Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of others.
Human Rights in the Administration of Justice:
- Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
- Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners.
- Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any form of Detention or Imprisonment.
- United Nation Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of the
- Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from being subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Principles of Medical Ethics Relevant to the Role of Health Personnel, particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.
- Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.
- Basic Principles on the use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
- Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
- Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors.
- United Nation Standard Minimum Rules for Non-Custodial Measures (The
- United Nation Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The
- United Nation Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The
- Declaration of basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.
- Basic Principles on the
- Model Treaty on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters.
- Declaration on the Protection of All persons from Enforced Disappearances.
- Model Treaty on the Transfer of Supervision of Offenders Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released.
- Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary execution.
Freedom of Information:
- Convention on the International Rights of Correction.
- Freedom of Association.
- Freedom of Association and Protection of the Rights to Organize Convention.
- Rights to Organise and Collective bargaining Convention.
- Workers’ Representatives Convention.
- Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention.
Employment:
- Employment Policy Convention
- Convention (No. 154) Concerning the Promotion of Collective Bargaining.
- Convention (No. 168) Concerning Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment.
- Convention (No. 169) Concerning Indigenous and Tribal People in Independent Countries.
Marriage, Health and Youth:
- 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.
- Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples.
- Right to Enjoy Culture, International Cultural Development and Cooperation.
- Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Development and Cooperation.
- Recommendation Concerning Education for International Understanding Cooperation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Social Welfare, Progress and Development:
- Declaration on Social Progress and Development.
- Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons.
- Principles for the Protection of Persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care.
- Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition.
- Declaration on the use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the interest of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind.
- Guidelines for the Regulation of Computerized Personal Data Files.
- Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons.
- Declaration on the Rights of Peoples to Peace.
- Declaration on the Right to Development
- International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.
- Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights (UNESCO)
Nationality, Statelessness, Asylum and Refugees:
- Convention on the Nationality of Married Women
- Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
- Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.
- Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
- Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.
- Statute of the Office of the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees.
- Declaration on the Human Rights of the individuals who are not the Nationals of the Country in which they live.
- Declaration of Territorial Asylum.
War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide:
- Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
- Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity
- Principles of International Cooperation in the Detection, Arrest, Extradition and Punishment of persons Guilty of war crimes and crimes against Humanity.
Humanitarian Law:
- Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the condition of the wounded and sick in Armed Forces in the Field.
- Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the condition of the Wounded and sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea.
- Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
- Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
- Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12th August 1949 and relating to the protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I).
- Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12th August 1949 and relating to the protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II).