The UN has established numerous different organisations and programs to strengthen the protection of human
rights. Many of these initiatives aim to defend these rights. The United Nation system, therefore, is the most
complete in the contemporary age of Human Rights. The framework was created under the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) notwithstanding the variety of legal systems, cultural and social
standards, and constitutional frameworks. The three main legal frameworks controlling the Human Rights all
throughout the world are UDHR, ICCPR, ICESCR.
Emphasising its goal of fostering "international peace and security," the preamble to the UN charter seeks to
shield "succeeding generations from the scourge of war." The creation of such treaty organisations was done to
carry out procedures and enforcement systems specified in Article 1 of the UDHR. Moreover, it unequivocally
declares that "ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY." This
creates a legal foundation for the UN's commitment to world peace, security, and the protection of human
dignity. Human rights are defined by the Charter as a basic goal of the UN, which thus helps to create systems
and organisations to advance these values. Therefore, especially through international cooperation, review
system, and treaty enforcement, the Charter affects all of the UN's legal and political activities on human rights.
Enforcing the human rights is largely done by treaty organisations. These are the legal committees set up under
particular human right treaties. The Human Rights Committee (HRC) supervises the ICCPR and handles
personal grievances via the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, as long as the state has signed the protocol;
however, for this a person must forgo all the local remedies under the Article 5. Given the state six months to
respond to claims, this process may be drawn out and difficult for people. State pressure on the person can
induce the victim to withdraw his application.
The ICESCR is overseen by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). It gives advice
via General Comments, such as General Comment No. 20 on non-discrimination, which was underlined in the
Ibrahimi v France case, and it reviews state reports and individual grievances where allowed. Under Article 40
of ICCPR, state shall file the periodic report to the committee stressing what they have done for the enforcement
of Human Rights. HRC ruled in Nicolas v. Australia that discrimination on the basis of sex violates ICCPR.
Though they lack authority to carry out judgements, these organisations use legal rationale and worldwide
publicity to impose pressure.
Under the charter bodies, nations that acknowledge the charter of United Nation. Rather than from any treaty,
these charter organisations derive their authority straight from the United Nation charter 1945. These
organisations' mechanisms apply straight to every UN member state regardless of HR treaty ratification status.
Succeeding the former Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
was formed by General Assembly Resolution 60/251 in 2006. It is the main Charter Body now in charge of
human rights. Article 1(3) and UN Charter Articles 55(c) and 56 provide the foundation of the Council's goal.
Under Human Right Council Resolution 5/1 2007, the most significant innovation of council is creation of
Universal Periodic Review. Every 4.5 years, under this human right, records of all member nations of UN is
scrutinised. Unlike treaty bodies, which emphasise certain responsibilities, charter bodies view at holistically.
They assess the states under both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative is at the policy level;
quantitative is at the crowd level indicating which policies are met.
Treaty bodies have several strengths. Working on the idea of universality, they cover all the countries equally
whether or not they accepted any convention. Even without official consequences, it promotes positive
discussion, peer pressure, and reputation effects, which might help to improve human rights. Charter bodies
draw their own fair share of criticism. Unlike treaty organisations, their conclusions are political rather than
legal, which sometimes leads to enforcement depending on moral persuasion or diplomatic pressure. Critics of
the Human Rights Council claim it has become politicised as nations may use their seats to defend friends or
attack opponents rather than follow fair human rights criteria. The Council's legitimacy suffers from, say, its
membership include nations with weak human rights histories.
Politics is a major source of criticism for both treaty and charter organisations. Particularly the Human Rights
Council has been accused of being politicised since certain countries use the forum to further political goals
against others, hence compromising impartiality and fairness. A basic limit still remains consent. Nations have
to decide to participate in treaties and protocols like the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR. Without authorisation,
personal complaints are not relevant. Furthermore, anonymous texting has sparked debate as it protects
whistleblowers in totalitarian regimes. While some argue that anonymity reduces openness, Prof. Sarah Joseph
strongly supports it, claiming that banning anonymity would make the mechanism inaccessible and provide less
safety for vulnerable people.
The UN human rights system offers a broad and flexible legal framework for advancing and safeguarding
human rights. It tackles a great variety of human rights concerns worldwide by means of enforceable treaties,
reporting requirements, complaint systems, and political review bodies. Its monitoring organisations, such as the
HRC and CESCR, and instruments like the UPR and General Comments, keep raising awareness, promoting
compliance, and pushing governments to protect human rights despite political meddling and long reaction
times. The system can only stay efficient and credible if continuous changes and involvement from civil society
as well as governments both inside and outside the country.