Documents on the Global Politics of Human Rights

This collection is intended to be a useful archive of important primary materials. The text of the documents has not been amended, but usually some copy-editing of the lay-out has been done.
      In any use of these materials, please acknowledge the source as being
      www.staff.city.ac.uk/p.willetts/HR-DOCS/INDEX.HTM

The United Nations Charter

• Extracts from the United Nations Charter that are Relevant to Human Rights
  Click here.
   

United Nations Resolutions

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, view as web page or Word 6 .
   
• UN Economic and Social Council Resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970
  Procedure for dealing with communications relating to violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, view as web page or Word 6 .
   
• UN Economic and Social Council Resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996
  The United Nations statute for NGOs. This resolution specifies the conditions for an NGO to be recognised by the Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations of ECOSOC and the participation rights they gain once they obtain consultative status.       webpage.
   

Legal Conventions

• The Statute of the International Criminal Court
  The Rome Statute was signed on 17 July 1998, received the necessary 60 ratifications on 11 April 2002 and entered into force on 1 July 2002.       webpage.
   
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child
  Adopted as General Assembly Resolution 44/25 without a vote on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990.       webpage.
   
• The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
  Adopted as General Assembly Resolution 39/46 on 10 December 1984 and entered into force on 26 June 1987.       webpage.
   

Human Rights Conferences

• The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action
  Adopted on its last day by the World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 14-25 June 1993.       webpage.