International Law

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From United Nations Archives  ( click underlined ) 

 

CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS - format

 

THE INTERNATIONAL BILL OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

•   International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

•  Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

• Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty

 

THE CORE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS and their monitoring bodies  -  

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CoreInstruments.aspx

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There are ten 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. Some of the treaties are supplemented by optional protocols dealing with specific concerns.

 

Date

Monitoring Body

ICERDInternational Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

21 Dec 1965

CERD

ICCPRInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

16 Dec 1966

CCPR

ICESCRInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

16 Dec 1966

CESCR

CEDAWConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

18 Dec 1979

CEDAW

CATConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

10 Dec 1984

CAT

CRCConvention on the Rights of the Child

20 Nov 1989

CRC

ICRMWInternational Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

18 Dec 1990

CMW

CPEDInternational Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

20 Dec 2006

CED

CRPDConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

13 Dec 2006

CRPD

ICESCR - OPOptional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

10 Dec 2008

CESCR

ICCPR-OP1Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

16 Dec 1966

CCPR

ICCPR-OP2Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty

15 Dec 1989

CCPR

OP-CEDAWOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

10 Dec 1999

CEDAW

OP-CRC-ACOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict

25 May 2000

CRC

OP-CRC-SCOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

25 May 2000

CRC

OP-CATOptional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

18 Dec 2002

SPT

OP-CRPDOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

12 Dec 2006

CRPD

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UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/UniversalHumanRightsInstruments.aspx

 

In addition to the International Bill of Rights and the core human rights treaties, there are many other universal instruments relating to human rights. A non-exhaustive selection is listed below. 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 guidance to States in their conduct; covenants, statutes, protocols and conventions are legally-binding for those States that ratify or accede to them.

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WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY

• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

• United Nations Millennium Declaratio

THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION

• United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples

• General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962, "Permanent sovereignty over natural resources"

• International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries

RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND MINORITIES

• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169)

• Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION

• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)

• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

• International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)

• Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice

• Convention against Discrimination in Education

• Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission to be responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may arise between States Parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education

• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief

• World Conference against Racism, 2001 (Durban Declaration and Programme of Action)

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW-OP)

• Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRC-OPSC)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (CRC-OPAC)

• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)

• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS

• United Nations Principles for Older Persons

RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons

• Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

• Principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care

• Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities

HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE: PROTECTION OF PERSONS SUBJECTED TO DETENTION OR IMPRISONMENT

• 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 Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty

• 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 (CAT)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT)

• 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

• Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of 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

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules)

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules)

• Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System

• United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines)

• Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power

• Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary

• Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers

• Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors

• Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions

• Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

• Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation

• International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

• United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) - PDF

SOCIAL WELFARE, PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT

• Declaration on Social Progress and Development

• Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition

• Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind

• Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace

• Declaration on the Right to Development

• Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights

• Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Principles relating to the status of national institutions (The Paris Principles)

• Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

MARRIAGE

• 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

RIGHT TO HEALTH

• Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS

RIGHT TO WORK AND TO FAIR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122)

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)

• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

SLAVERY, SLAVERY-LIKE PRACTICES AND FORCED LABOUR

• Slavery Convention

• Protocol amending the Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926

• Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery

• Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)

• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)

• Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others

• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS

• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICPMW)

• Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

NATIONALITY, STATELESSNESS, ASYLUM AND REFUGEES

• 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

• Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals who are not nationals of the country in which they live

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 co-operation in the detection, arrest, extradition and punishment of persons guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity

• Statute of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

• Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda

• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

HUMANITARIAN LAW

• 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 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I)

• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II)

Also available:

• Ratifications and Reservations

• Status of ratifications and signatures of human rights instruments

• CD Compilation of International instruments - Universal instruments

• Conventions, Declarations and Other Instruments found in General Assembly Resolutions (since 1946)

Related links

Charter of the United Nations

The International Bill of Human Rights

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

Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty

The core international human rights instruments

Universal human rights instruments

Feature stories

Indicators: essential tools in the realization of human rights

A call to save the human rights treaty body system

Human Rights Council: Stop human rights violations in Syria

A cooperative effort to protect the human rights of stateless persons

Other links

Human rights conferences

Human rights bodies

Publications

 

 

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THE CORE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS and their monitoring bodies

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. Some of the treaties are supplemented by optional protocols dealing with specific concerns.

 

Date            Monitoring Body

ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination                   21 Dec 1965           CERD

ICCPRInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights                                                                      16 Dec 1966           CCPR

ICESCRInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights                                               16 Dec 1966           CESCR

CEDAWConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women                         18 Dec 1979          CEDAW

CATConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment  10 Dec 1984           CAT

CRCConvention on the Rights of the Child                                                                                                  20 Nov 1989         CRC

ICRMWInternational Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant

Workers and Members of Their Families                                                                                                  18 Dec 1990          CMW

CPEDInternational Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance          20 Dec 2006         CED

CRPDConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities                                                                    13 Dec 2006         CRPD

ICESCR - OPOptional Protocol of the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights                      10 Dec 2008        CESCR

ICCPR-OP1Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights                        16 Dec 1966        HRC

ICCPR-OP2Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

aiming at the abolition of the death penalty                                                                                                15 Dec 1989        HRC

OP-CEDAWOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women   10 Dec 1999      CEDAW

OP-CRC-ACOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement

of children in armed conflict                                                                                                                          25 May 2000      CRC

OP-CRC-SCOptional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children,

child prostitution and child pornography                                                                                                       25 May 2000       CRC

OP-CATOptional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment                                                                                                             18 Dec 2002      CAT

OP-CRPDOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities                           12 Dec 2006      CRPD

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UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTRUMENTS

In addition to the International Bill of Rights and the core human rights treaties, there are many other universal instruments relating to human rights. A non-exhaustive selection is listed below. 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 guidance to States in their conduct; covenants, statutes, protocols and conventions are legally-binding for those States that ratify or accede to them. Information on the status of ratification of selected instruments is available here. Printer-friendly versions of these instruments may be downloaded from the CD-ROM Compilation of Universal Instruments accessible online here.

 

WORLD CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY

• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action

• United Nations Millennium Declaration

 

THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION

• United Nations Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples

• General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962, "Permanent sovereignty over natural resources"

• International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries

RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND MINORITIES

• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169)

• Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities

 

PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION

• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100)

• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

• International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)

• Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice

• Convention against Discrimination in Education

• Protocol Instituting a Conciliation and Good Offices Commission to be responsible for seeking a settlement of any disputes which may arise between States Parties to the Convention against Discrimination in Education

• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief

• World Conference against Racism, 2001 (Durban Declaration and Programme of Action)

 

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW-OP)

• Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

 

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRC-OPSC)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (CRC-OPAC)

• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)

• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

 

RIGHTS OF OLDER PERSONS

• United Nations Principles for Older Persons

 

RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

• Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons

• Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

• Principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care

• Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities

 

HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE: PROTECTION OF PERSONS SUBJECTED TO DETENTION OR IMPRISONMENT

• 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 Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty

• 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 (CAT)

• Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT)

• 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

• Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of 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

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules)

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules)

• Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System

• United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines)

• Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power

• Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary

• Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers

• Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors

• Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions

• Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

• Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation

• International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (not yet into force)

 

SOCIAL WELFARE, PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT

• Declaration on Social Progress and Development

• Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition

• Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind

• Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace

• Declaration on the Right to Development

• Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights

• Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity

 

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• Principles relating to the status of national institutions (The Paris Principles)

• Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

 

MARRIAGE

• 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

 

RIGHT TO HEALTH

• Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS

 

RIGHT TO WORK AND TO FAIR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122)

 

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87)

• Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

 

SLAVERY, SLAVERY-LIKE PRACTICES AND FORCED LABOUR

• Slavery Convention

• Protocol amending the Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926

• Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery

• Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29)

• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)

• Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others

• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

 

RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS

• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICPMW)

• Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

 

NATIONALITY, STATELESSNESS, ASYLUM AND REFUGEES

• 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

• Declaration on the Human Rights of Individuals Who are not Nationals of the Country in which They Live

 

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 co-operation in the detection, arrest, extradition and punishment of persons guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity

• Statute of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

• Statute of the International Tribunal for Rwanda

• Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

 

HUMANITARIAN LAW

• 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 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I)

• Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II)

 

Also available:

• Ratifications and Reservations

• Status of ratifications and signatures of human rights treaties

• CD Compilation of International instruments - Universal instruments

• Conventions, Declarations and Other Instruments Found in General Assembly Resolutions (since 1946)

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