Key Human Rights documents

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 purpose of the present Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

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.