The International Bill of

Rights
 International Bill of Rights
● The international human rights standards are defined by a number rights documents that have
been developed by member-states of the United Nations.
● The main human rights documents have been known as the international bill of rights and
composed of the following:
○ 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 (1966)
○ Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (1989)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (1966)
‒ The UDHR was adopted by United Nations on 10
December 1948 after the World War II, ‒ The International Covenant on Economic, Social and
During World War II, United Nations adopted as their Cultural Rights (ICESCR) is a
basic war aims the Four Freedoms: freedom of speech,  multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations
freedom of religion, freedom from fear, and freedom General Assembly on 16 December 1966 through GA.
from want. Towards the end of the war, the United Resolution 2200A (XXI), and came in force from 3
Nations Charter was debated, drafted, and ratified to January 1976. It commits its parties to work toward the
reaffirm "faith in fundamental human rights, and dignity granting of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR)
and worth of the human person" and commit all member to the Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories and
states to promote "universal respect for, and observance individuals, including labour rights and the right to
of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all health, the right to education, and the right to an
without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion" adequate standard of living.
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant Second Optional Protocol to the International
on Civil and Political Rights (1966) Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at
‒ Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and the abolition of the death penalty (1989)
accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) ‒ Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and
of 16 December 1966 entry into force 23 March 1976, in accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI)
accordance with Article 9. The covenant commits its of 16 December 1966 entry into force 23 March 1976, in
parties to respect the civil and political rights of accordance with Article 9. The covenant commits its
individuals, including the right to life, freedom of parties to respect the civil and political rights of
religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, individuals, including the right to life, freedom of
electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial. religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly,
electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

(1966)
‒ The covenant commits its parties to respect the civil and
political rights of individuals, including the right to life,
freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of
assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and
a fair trial. Adopted and opened for signature, ratification
and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A
(XXI) of 16 December 1966
entry into force 23 March 1976, in accordance with
Article 49
 International Bill of Rights
• There are nine core international human rights treaties. Each of these treaties has established a
committee of experts to monitor implementation of the treaty provisions by its States parties.
○ International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
○ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
○ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
○ Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimintion against Women
○ Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of
Punishment
○ Convention on the Rights of the Child
○ International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families
○ International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
○ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
 International Bill of Rights
● In addition to the International Bill of Rights and the core human rights treaties, there are many
other universal instruments relating to human rights.
● 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 guideance to States in their conduct; covenants, statutes,
protocols and conventions are legally-binding for those States that ratify or accede to them.
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY SYSTEM

● Through ratification of international human rights treaties,Governments under take to put into
place domestic measures and legislations compatible with their treaty obligations and duties.
The domestic legal system, thereore, provides the principal legal protection of human rights
guaranteed under international law.
● Human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation
of the core international human rights treaties. They try and check to see whether countries
comply with the human rights treaty they have signed.
 UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY SYSTEM
● The nine (9) human rights treaty bodies and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT):
○ Human Rights Committee (CCPR)
○ Committee Econimic, Socia and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
○ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
○ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
○ Committee Against Torture (CAT)
○ Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
○ Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW)
○ Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
○ Committee on Enforced Disapperance (CED)
● Each treaty body receives secretariat support from the Human Rights Treaties Branch of OHCHR in
Geneva.
 HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
● An inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for
strengthening the promotion and protection of the human rights aroung the globe and
for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on
them.
● The Council is made up to forty-seven (47) United Nations Member States which are
elected by the United Nations General Assembly on March 15, 2006 by resolution
60/251.
● The Human Rights Council also works with the United Nations Special Procedures
established by the Council. These are made up of special rapporteurs, special
representative, independent experts and working groups that monitor, examine, advise
and publicly report on thematic issues or human rights situations in specific countries.
 CONDITIONS ON RIGHTS

● The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that the exercise of a person’s rights and freedoms
may be subject to certain limitation, which must be determined by law, solely for the purpose of
securing due recognition of the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of
morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
● The International Covenant on Economics, Social and Cultural Rights states that the rights provided
for therein may be limited by law, but only in so far as it is compatible with the nature of rights and
solely to promote the general welfare in a democratic society.
● The Universal Declaration (of Human Rights) and the (International) Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights contains no general
provision applicable to all the rights provided for in the Covenant authorizing restrictions on their
excercise .
 CONDITIONS ON RIGHTS

● Certain rights, therefore, may never be suspended or limited, even in emergency

situations. These are the rights of life, to freedom from torture, to freedom from
enslavement, or servitude, to protection from imprisonment for debt, to freedom from
rectroactive penal laws, to recognition as a person before the law, and to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion.
● The International Covenanton Civil and Political Rights allows a State to limit o
suspend the enjoyment of certain rights in cases of officially proclaimed public
emergencies which threaten the life of the nation. Such as limitations or suspension are
permitted only “to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation” and
may never involve discriminationsolely on the groundof race, color, sex, language ,
religion or social origin.