Human Rights and Justice: International Documents

Contents: Preface. I. Human Rights and Justice: An Introduction: 1. The United Nations. 2. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. 3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966. 4. International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, 1966. 5. Three Generations of Human Rights. 6. Justice. II. Administration of Justice: Officials. 7. Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, 1985. 8. The Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, 2002. 9. Guidelines on the Role of Persecutors, 1990. 10. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, 1979. 11. Basic Principles on the Use of force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, 1990. 12. Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, 1990. III. Prisoners: 13. Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, 1977. 14. Body of Principles for all persons under any form of Detention or Imprisonment, 1988. 15. Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures, 1990. IV. Children: 16. Declaration of the Rights of Child, 1959. 17. Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC), 1989. 18. Optional Protocol to CRC, 2000. 19. UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1985. 20. Declaration on social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children, Foster Placement and Adoption, 1986. 21. UN Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty, 1990. 22. UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, 1990. 23. Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice system, 1997. 24. Guidelines on Justice Matters Involving child Victims and Witnesses of Crime, 2005. V. Women: 25. General. 26. Declaration on the elimination of Discrimination Against Women, 1967. 27. Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict, 1974. 28. The Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1979. 29. Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Their Families, 1990. 30. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 1993. 31. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons especially Women and Children, 2003. VI. Disabled Persons: 32. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006. VII. Apartheid, Racial Discrimination and Slavery. 33. Slavery Convention, 1926. 34. Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1965. 35. Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid, 1973. VIII. Torture and Enforced Disappearance: 36. Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984. 37. 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, 1982. 38. Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 2000. 39. Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, 1992. 40. Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, 2006. 41. Secret Detention. IX. Summary Execution and Death Penalty: 42. Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of those Facing the Death Penalty, 1984. 43. Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, 1989. 44. United Nations Manual on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, 1991. X. International Humanitarian Law. 45. The Geneva Convention I of 12 August 1949. 46. The Geneva Convention II of 12 August 1949.  47. The Geneva Convention III of 12 August 1949. 48. The Geneva Convention IV of 12 August 1949. 49. The 1977 Protocol I Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. 50. The 1977 Protocol II Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. XI. International Criminal Court: 51. Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 2002. 52. Rome Statute: Rules of Procedure and Evidence, 2002. 53. International Criminal Court: Code of Judicial Ethics, 2005. 54. Principles of International
Cooperation in the Detection, Arrest, Extradition and Punishment of Persons Guilty of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, 1973. 55. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948. XII: Military Tribunals: 56. Draft Principles Governing the Administration of Justice Through Military Tribunals, 2005. XIII. Regional Conventions: 57. European Convention on Human Rights, 1950; The American Convention on Human Rights, 1969; and The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, 1981. 58. African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights: Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa, 2001. XIV. Reparations. 59. Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, 1985. 60. Updated set of principles for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights through Action to Combat Impurity, 2005. 61. Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law, 2005. bibliography. Index.

A series of international human rights treaties and other instruments adopted since 1945 have conferred legal status on inherent human rights and developed the body of international human rights law. However, human rights violations are a fact of life in all countries, through to differing degrees. These violations involve all kinds of rights: civil, cultural, social economic and political.

Access to justice is a basic human rights, as well as an indispensable means of combating poverty and preventing and resolving conflict. Access to justice means much more than improving an individual’s access to courts. It is about ensuring that legal and judicial outcomes are just and equitable and that systems work in practice for the poor and disadvantaged, who tend to get victimized by corrupt or indifferent officials, without having a reasonable change to seek legal remedies for their grievances.

This book contains 62 international documents dealing with human rights and the administration of justice under one cover. The chapters have been so organized as to provide easy reference based on the status of the victim. This handy reference is a must for members of the armed forces and police, legal fraternity. NGOs, human rights activists, academicians and researchers. (Jacket)