UN Human Rights Instruments

The United Nations was created with the pursuit of human rights as a central aim. From the beginning, states wanted to create a legal framework for considering and acting on complaints about human rights violations. This led to the comprehensive UN human rights protection system described here.

The UN human rights system consists of two main types of body: bodies created under the UN Charter, and bodies created under the international human rights treaties monitoring compliance with these.
Most of these bodies receive secretariat support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
 

Charter Based Bodies
 

Treaty Bodies

 

Overview of Main Human Rights Instruments

Below you see a list of some of the main UN human rights instruments, including the 7 core conventions monitored by the treaty bodies. Click on the instrument to get a summary of the text:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
ICESCR

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
CAT Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984)
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)
ICERD

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966)
CRC
ICPRMW International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (1990)
Slavery Convention
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
  Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women
 


See full list of all UN HR instruments

Updated 23-08-2006
Sources: OHCHR