Introduction
The UN's work in human rights is carried out by various bodies. "Charter-Based" bodies such as The Human Rights Council and its predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights were established by UN resolution. Treaty-based bodies such as the Committee against Torture were established by multilateral treaties.
United Nations Human Rights Information
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: An Historical Record of the Drafting Process. Amazing website that presents documents in chronological order, arranged according to the various bodies that met to discuss, draft and re-draft the Declaration.
United Nations & Human Rights Research Guide. Detailed research guide for UN documentation on human rights, compiled by the UN Dag Hammarskjöld Library.
United Nations Yearbook. Online compilation of the primary UN reference volume, with the full text of the entire series from 1946. Each yearbook contains summaries with supporting citations of key UN activities, including several hundred pages on human rights.
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Main office for the human rights activities of the UN. Primary features include: the Human Rights Bodies section which contains information about Charter-based Bodies as well as the Treaty-based Bodies. The Charter-based Bodies include information and for the Human Rights Council.
Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General. Contains the current status of over 500 multilateral treaties including country declarations and reservations. Part of the United Nations Treaty Collection.
United Nations Human Rights Treaties. (From Bayefsky.Com). Provides access to documents from the UN human rights treaty system. Materials include the text of treaties, documents from the UN treaty bodies, information on reform of the system, and other information.
Universal Human Rights Index of United Nations Documents. Gateway designed "to facilitate access to human rights documents issued by the UN human rights treaty bodies and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council." Search by country, by rights and by human rights body.
The UN Secretary-General's Database on Violence Against Women Includes laws, policies, programs, institutional mechanisms, research, statistical data, country pages, good practices, and a search mechanism.
United Nations Treaty Body Database. Searchable database all the documents submitted to or issued by UN treaty-based monitoring committees (see below). Includes state "periodic" reports and UN commmitte concluding observations, as well as NGO documents if an NGO disagrees with the State report submitted.
- Human Rights Committee
- Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Committee against Torture
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Worker and Members of Their Families
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Universal Periodic Review Database. Universal periodic review mechanism intended to summarize and review the human rights record of every UN member country (regardless of whether they are signatory to the treaties listed above) once every four years.
Drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Documents are presented in chronological order, arranged according to the various bodies that met to discuss, draft and re-draft the Declaration. There are also brief biographic notes for the members of the Drafting Committee
Strengthening of Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Body System
The Human Rights Treaty Bodies are committees of independent experts who monitor the implementation of the core international human rights treaties by the States parties to these treaties.
UNHDR70: 30 Articles 30 Documents
An online exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights Library and Human Rights Gateway
United Nations Books on Human Rights
The Declaration on the Right to Development At 25This book is devoted to the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development. It contains a collection of analytical studies of various aspects of the right to development, which include the rule of law and good governance, aid, trade, debt, technology transfer, intellectual property, access to medicines and climate change in the context of an enabling environment at the local, regional and international levels.
National Human Rights InstitutionsThis publication introduces the reader to national human rights institutions (NHRIs). Its focus is on NHRIs as both cornerstones of national human rights protection and promotion, and links between States and the international human rights system. ebook edition available.
International Legal Protection of Human Rights in Armed ConflictThis publication provides a thorough legal analysis and guidance to State authorities, human rights and humanitarian actors and others on the application of international human rights law and international humanitarian law for the protection of persons. ebook edition available to NU affiliated users.
Handbook on HIV and Human Rights for National Human Rights InstitutionsThis Handbook is designed to assist national human rights institutions to integrate HIV into their mandate to protect and promote human rights. It provides a basic overview of the role of human rights in an effective response to the epidemic and suggests concrete activities that national institutions can carry out within their existing work.
25 Years Rebuilding LivesThis publication examines the legal and medical definitions of torture, how and why it happens, the impact it has on victims, what makes torture different from other human rights violations, as well as ways in which it can be effectively treated and combated.
General Comments of the Committee on the Rights of the ChildThis publication contains 'general comments' issued by the Committee between 2001 and 2005 relating to various aspects of the Convention: early childhood, HIV/AIDS, adolescent health, unaccompanied and separated children, the aims of education, national independent human rights institutions, and guidance on the general measures for the implementation of the Convention.
