Human Rights Law

Human rights law encompasses the fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every person, regardless of nationality, gender, ethnicity, religion, or other status.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

Sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected

Translated into over 500 languages

Foundation for international human rights law

Civil Rights

Right to life
Freedom from torture
Right to privacy
Freedom of expression
Freedom of assembly

Political Rights

Right to vote
Right to participate in government
Freedom of association
Right to peaceful protest

Economic Rights

Right to work
Fair wages
Safe working conditions
Right to join trade unions

Social and Cultural Rights

Right to education
Right to health
Right to housing
Cultural participation

International Human Rights Treaties

Treaty	Year	Focus Area
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)	1966	Civil and political rights
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)	1966	Economic, social, and cultural rights
Convention against Torture (CAT)	1984	Prevention of torture
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)	1989	Children's rights

Enforcement Mechanisms

International Courts

International Court of Justice
International Criminal Court
Regional Human Rights Courts

UN Treaty Bodies

Human Rights Committee
Committee Against Torture
Committee on the Rights of the Child

National Mechanisms

National Human Rights Institutions
Domestic Courts
Ombudsman Offices

Case Study: Human Rights Protection

European Court of Human Rights Case

Case: Freedom of Expression vs. National Security

Issue: Balance between press freedom and state security concerns

Decision: Court upheld journalist's right to report on matters of public interest

Impact: Strengthened protection for investigative journalism across Europe