The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) is the first universally legally binding human rights instrument concerning enforced disappearance. It was preceded by the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (1992 Declaration), proclaimed by the General Assembly in its Resolution 47/133 of 18 December 1992, which remains a valid reference as a body of principles for all States and some of its provisions reflect customary international law on the subject.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most universally accepted human rights instrument, ratified by every country in the world except two. The Convention incorporates the full range of human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights - of children into one single document.
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on acommunications procedure (OPIC) entered into force on 14 April 2014. It entitles the Committee on the Rights of the Child, a body of 18 independent experts, to receive and consider communications (complaints) submitted by or on behalf of an individual or group of individuals within the jurisdiction of a State party who claim to be victims of violations of any of the rights protected by the Convention and/or, the substantial Optional Protocols thereto (Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and Optional Protocol to the Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict).
On 21 December 1965, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2106, which established the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). It is among the oldest conventions in the UN Human Rights Office arsenal to target oppression and discrimination.
The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 1984. It completed the codification process to combat the practice of torture. As part of this instrument, a monitoring body, the Committee against Torture, was set up. Its main function is to ensure that the Convention is observed and implemented by all States parties. After being ratified by the 20th State party, it came into force on 26 June 1987. The Committee met for the first time in April 1988 in Geneva.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, it set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights aims to ensure the protection of economic, social and cultural rights including freedom from discrimination, right to equality between men and women, right to work, right to social security, freedom of children from social and economic exploitation, right to an adequate standard of living, right to health, right to education etc.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aims to ensure the protection of civil and political rights including freedom from torture, freedom from slavery, right to liberty and security of person, right to be treated with humanity in detention, freedom of movement, right to fair trial, freedom of religion and belief, freedom of expression, minority rights etc.