1. At the end of this session, you should be able to
explain the main sources of human rights law and the main human rights instruments
name some of the mechanisms in place to implement and enforce human rights law
name the main human rights bodies
clarify how human rights law applies in armed conflict and state of emergency
list the main criteria for the situations in which only the most basic human rights apply

2. Human Rights yesterday and today
Idea of rights dates back to pre-Second World War domestic constitutions
For our purposes starts with UN Charter: in its preamble declares as a primary purpose of the United Nations:
“promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.” 

3. Human Rights yesterday and today (continued)
In signing on to international human rights treaties, States give away some sovereignty and make themselves vulnerable to be scrutinized by the international community
Idea of international human rights: make them known to all people; don’t replace domestic protection of individuals but make it more effective within national systems
When a State has ratified a treaty, it is supposed to adopt national measures to ensure that the treaty is implemented on the national level

4. International Bill of Human Rights
contains following instruments:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), 1966
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), 1966 

5.  First developments on international arena: Antecedents to these:
adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
Antecedents to these:
minority treaties adhered to on bilateral or multilateral basis, the Charter of the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg and international humanitarian law (was developed much earlier) 

6. Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN General Assembly as a "common standard of achievement". UDHR is not a treaty. However, today, many of its provisions have become part of international customary law
UDHR codified with the adoption of two Covenants in 1966: the CCPR, and the CESCR
The two covenants are different in nature because of different type of rights that each addresses

7. Other major Human Rights Instruments
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), 1965
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 1979
The Convention against Torture (CAT), 1984
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989
The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol, 1951 and 1967

8. Inter-Governmental Organizations
International Protection of Human Rights
Inter-Governmental Organizations
Universal UN
UN Spec. Agencies
Charter
Conventions
ECOSOC
CCPR CESCR CERD CEDAW CAT CRC …... GA
SC, SG
Commission on Status of Women
Commission on Human Rights
Commission on Crime Prevention
Sub-Commission
UNICEF UNHCR UNHCHR
Special Procedures

9. Derogations during states of emergency:
Civil and political rights may be derogated during a state of emergency
Derogating from human rights means to “limit” the extent to which these obligations apply
The derogation clause is to be found in Article 4 of the CCPR

10. General Comment on Article 4
“The Committee holds the view that the measures taken under Article 4 are of an exceptional and temporary nature and may only last as long as the life of the nation concerned is threatened and that in times of emergency, the protection of human rights becomes all the more important, particularly those rights from which no derogation can be made.”

11. Criteria for lawful derogation
temporary derogations only
exceptional threat to the life of the nation must exist
official proclamation of a state of emergency must be made
notification to other states and/or relevant treaty-monitoring body
reasonable proportionality between means employed and end to be realized must exist
other obligations under international law remain applicable
measures taken to derogate must not be discriminatory

12. The following rights are non-derogable:
the right to life
freedom from torture
freedom from slavery
freedom from post facto legislation and other judicial guarantees
right to recognition before the law
freedom of thought, conscience and religion

13. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Broad mandate of UNHCHR created by the General Assembly resolution of 20 December 1993
Responsibilities of the High Commissioner:
"to adopt and to foster a rights based approach across the whole spectrum of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, to promote and protect the realization of the right to development and to specifically include women's rights as human rights." 

14. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (continued)
UNHCHR present in a number of countries; carries out monitoring and promotional activities there
Important for UNICEF to coordinate its work in the field of monitoring and reporting with the Office of the High Commissioner

15. Regional Human Rights
Three regional human rights frameworks/treaties in addition to the international framework:
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1981)
American Convention on Human Rights (1969)
the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950)

16. A number of other human rights instruments on the regional level cover certain groups of people or certain issues:
Concerning children:
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (adopted in 1990 but not yet in force)
European Convention on the Exercise of Children's Rights (adopted in 1996 but not yet in force)
Normally, a regional treaty provides more specific provisions. If conflicting treaty provisions: the one that grants the greatest protection prevails