1. International Human Rights Machinery: Overview of the UN Human Rights System
Ben Schokman
Lawyer
Human Rights Law Resource Centre Ltd
(03)

2. UN Human Rights System Security Council
Secretary–General and UN Secretariat
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
General Assembly
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Human Rights Council
Special Procedures
Universal Periodic Review
UN Specialised Agencies
Such as UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, ILO and many others
Treaty Bodies

3. Security Council
Responsible for maintaining international peace and security
5 permanent members (with veto powers)
10 non-permanent members
International Criminal Tribunals
International Court of Justice

4. General Assembly Main deliberative and decision-making organ of the UN
Consists of all UN member states
All have one vote
Currently 192 governmental delegations

5. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Consists of 54 governmental delegations
Carries out the economic and social work of the UN
Establishes a number of functional and regional commissions

6. Human Rights Treaties Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1965
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women 1979
Convention Against Torture 1984
Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
[International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers 1990]
Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 2006
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006

7. Optional Protocols Expand substantive protection:
Second OP to ICCPR (1989) – death penalty
OP-CROC (2000) – armed conflict, sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography
Further monitoring procedures:
First OP to ICCPR (1966)
OP-CEDAW (2000)
OP-CAT (2002)
[OP-ICESCR]

8. Treaty Bodies Monitoring mechanisms Eight operative committees:
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Human Rights Committee
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
Committee Against Torture
Committee on the Rights of the Child
Committee on Migrant Workers
Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture

9. Procedures of Treaty Bodies
Consideration of Periodic Reports  Concluding Comments/Observations
Individual Complaints (HRC, CERD, CAT, CEDAW)
General Comments
Inquiry Procedures (CAT and CEDAW)
Visits (SPT)
Reform?

10. Why use the international human rights system?
To secure the domestic implementation of international human rights standards
To use the outcomes of these mechanisms in litigation, policy development and advocacy
Civil society plays a crucial role