Hrw

Критика[править | править код]

См. также: Критика Human Rights Watch

19 октября 2009 года почётный председатель Human Rights Watch Роберт Бернштейн, основавший эту организацию и руководивший ею на протяжении 20 лет, выступил с публичной критикой в связи с позицией организации по арабо-израильскому конфликту. В открытом письме, опубликованном в Нью-Йорк Таймс, Роберт Бернштейн написал:

Продолжила эту мысль политический обозреватель Юлия Латынина:

В мае 2014 года более 100 учёных, включая двух лауреатов Нобелевской премии, Адольфо Переса Эскивеля и Мейрид Корриган, и бывшего генерального секретаря ООН Ганса Кристофа фон Шпонека, написали HRW письмо, в котором поставили под вопрос независимость организации от американских властей.

Деятельность Human Rights Watch критикуется правительствами нескольких государств за её тенденциозность.

Также Human Rights Watch критикуют за проблемную методологию исследований, недостаточную скрупулезность в проверке фактов и игнорирование нарушений менее открытых режимов.

Criticism

Anti-Israel

The Israeli conflict with the Palestinians and Hezbollah has brought about serious questions of HRW objectivity. During the span of four years, from October 2000 to April 2004, HWR wrote one-hundred and three reports, the vast majority of these reports condemned Israel. During the same time the organization only wrote thirty highlighting the Palestinian terror attack.

According to Gerald M. Steinberg, a research associate at the BESA Center for Strategic Studies, HRW has ignored the terrorist suicide attacks designed to kill innocent civilians, while criticizing Israel for a, “policy of targeted killing of terrorist leaders, such as Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ar-Rantisi
.” He wrote later in the same article, “The political bias of non-governmentally organizations on the Middle East, coupled with their lack of public accountability and transparency, is beginning to chip away at their credibility
.”

In 2006, HRW released a 50-page report, «Fatal Strikes: Israel’s Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in Lebanon,» which covered civilians deaths they claimed were caused by Israel in their conflict with the terrorist group Hezbollah. Israel stated that the many of the deaths were caused by Hezbollah’s use of civilian areas and human shields. HRW stated that there was no evidence that Hezbollah used human shields, but this notion was widely known as untrue. While focusing on Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing”, HRW failed to report significantly on Hezbollah’s launching of 2,000 rockets at civilian areas. HRW criticized Israel’s building of a fence in the West Bank, calling it part of an «illegal» land grab.Anthony Weiner, a Democrat Congressman, was shocked at the idiosyncrasy of the charges, he stated, «Given that the security fence has inarguably reduced terrorism and death by would-be Palestinian bombers, it seems any organization truly concerned about human rights should be supporting Israel’s right to construct it”. Even a liberal newsmagazine, The New Republic, could not resist the slant of HRW coverage
.

Robert Bernstein is the founder and former chairman of Human Rights Watch. Bernstein is attacking the organization for “issuing reports on the Israeli-Arab conflict that are helping those who wish to turn Israel into a pariah state.” In addition, he pointed out that HRW has condemned Israel more than any other country.

Hypocrisy

Human Rights Watch has called on the United States to stop workplace discrimination on nationality and class inside the United States and other countries, but the organization does not even follow that standard, nearly hiring all of their employee’s from American and British nationalities. The Committee members for HRW also include only decisions makers from the upper-class, none from the middle-income class. Nearly all of the organizations articles and reports are produced in English, HRW claims that they are not produced in more languages because of the cost of translation. They have asked for volunteers to translate reports and documents. The organization has held double standard in its dealings in the Middle East. President of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, stated, «For Human Rights Watch to call on Israel and Jews not to live in Judea and Samaria is simply racist. Why is it that Arabs can live in Israel, and Arabs can live in the West Bank, and Jews cannot live in the West Bank?”.

Same-sex advocates

In a 2006, HRW fights for Congress to enact reforms to U.S. immigration law to guarantee respect for the human rights and labor rights of non-citizens. These reforms should include measures that end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive individuals.

In conjunction with the UN Human Rights Committee, HRW applauded the Colombia’s Constitutional Court’s decision «to extend pension benefits to same-sex partners sets an example for other countries in achieving equality for all.»

Gitmo Detainees

HRC complains that terrorists need the rights of the federal court process because the U.S. military tribunals are unfair. Jennifer Daskal of Human Rights Watch wants the focus to be on terrorists ‘alleged’ crimes. A belief that terrorists who are caught on a battlefield have U.S. citizen rights, truly a liberal belief. Also, they advocate closing down Guantanamo detention facilities and the transfer of prisoners to the U.S. mainland.

18 International Service for Human Rights

The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) is a non-governmental organization working on promoting and protecting human rights by providing support to human rights defenders, strengthening human rights systems and participating in coalitions for human rights change.

According to the organization, the work of human rights defenders is essential in protecting human rights because they directly contribute to prevention of human rights violations, while strong international and regional levels human rights mechanisms ensure accountability for human rights violations and contribute to change. Therefore, the ISHR is the most active in strengthening the capacity of human rights defenders and of human rights systems, as well as promoting accountability for human rights violations and securing implementation of human rights law at national levels.

Article 26

1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Критика со стороны египетского правительства

14 августа 2014 года, в годовщину разгона сидячих забастовок сторонников Морси, организованных египетской полицией на площадях Рабаа аль-Адавия и Нахда, в результате столкновений, в результате которых погибло 638 ​​человек, в том числе 43 полицейских. По сообщению министерства здравоохранения Египта , HRW опубликовала отчет, в котором обвинила силы безопасности в чрезмерном применении силы , а также утверждала, что разгон был спланирован на самом высоком уровне египетского правительства. Число погибших, по данным HRW, варьировалось от 817 до примерно 1000. HRW заявила, что действия полиции, вероятно, равносильны « преступлениям против человечности ».

Однако в официальном заявлении от Государственной информационной службы , то правительство Египта раскритиковал HRW, утверждая , что в докладе организации не хватало прозрачности, игнорировали насилие со стороны протестующих, и что он был смещен в пользу мусульманского братства . Вследствие публикации отчета исполнительный директор Кеннет Рот и директор по Ближнему Востоку и Северной Африке Сара Лия Уитсон , работающая на HRW, которая должна была публично представить отчет журналистам и дипломатам, была задержана властями на несколько часов и депортирована из Египта.

В заявлении министерства внутренних дел Египта на своей официальной странице в Facebook HRW обвиняется в незаконной деятельности в Египте без разрешения властей.

15 Freedom House

Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for human rights and democracy. Since it was established, the Freedom House has opposed tyrannies around the world and promoted democratic values.

The organization supports human rights defenders to promote open government and defend human rights. It also supports civil society organizations by strengthening their capacities. This is done through trainings, international exchange programs grant giving and networking activities. In addition to that, the Freedom House also offers its moral support by advocating and providing visible demonstrations of solidarity on behalf of counterparts abroad.

Обвинения в отношении Латинской Америки

Роберт Найман , директор по политике Just Foreign Policy, написал, что HRW «часто находится под сильным влиянием» внешней политики Соединенных Штатов .

Венесуэла

Работа Human Rights Watch в Венесуэле вызвала споры в сентябре 2008 г., когда правительство страны выслало двух сотрудников HRW, обвиненных в «антигосударственной деятельности». Затем министр иностранных дел Николас Мадуро сказал: «Эти группы, переодетые защитниками прав человека, финансируются Соединенными Штатами. Они придерживаются политики нападений на страны, строящие новые экономические модели». В докладе подчеркивается дискриминация администрации Чавеса по отношению к политическим оппонентам и свободе слова. По словам одного из исключенных членов, решение правительства Венесуэлы противоречит законам Венесуэлы.

После того, как HRW опубликовала отчет ( Десятилетие под Чавесом: политическая нетерпимость и упущенные возможности для продвижения прав человека в Венесуэле ), в котором задокументированы злоупотребления со стороны правительства Чавеса , 118 ученых, активистов и кинематографистов из Аргентины , Австралии , Бразилии , Мексики , США, Великобритании Венесуэла и другие страны подписали письмо американских ученых Мигеля Тинкера Саласа , Грегори Уилперта и Грега Грандина , в котором они критикуют организацию за предвзятое отношение к правительству Венесуэлы . В открытом письме отчет подвергся критике, заявив, что он «не соответствует даже самым минимальным стандартам учености, беспристрастности, точности или достоверности». Директор HRW Кеннет Рот ответил, что письмо искажает «как суть, так и исходный материал отчета». Примерно в то же время ирландский журналист Хью О’Шонесси обвинил HRW в использовании ложной и вводящей в заблуждение информации, заявив, что отчет был «составлен на основе ничего не значащего предубеждения Вашингтона». Том Портеус, лондонский директор Хьюман Райтс Вотч, сказал, что О’Шонесси «… не только не может предоставить никаких доказательств для этих утверждений», но «… что более серьезно, он искажает позицию HRW в своей очевидной решимости подорвать наш колодец. заслужил международную репутацию благодаря точности и беспристрастности «.

Гондурас

21 августа 2009 г. 93 ученых и автора из Великобритании, США, Канады, Австралии, Мексики, Колумбии и других стран опубликовали открытое письмо с критикой «отсутствия заявлений и отчетов» HRW о нарушениях прав человека в Гондурасе после 8 июля 2009 г. после . По словам его авторов, после 8 июля HRW не «била тревогу в связи с внесудебными убийствами, произвольными задержаниями, физическими нападениями и нападениями на прессу, многие из которых были тщательно задокументированы, — которые имели место в Гондурасе, в большинстве случаев. дела режима государственного переворота против сторонников демократического конституционного правительства Мануэля Селайи «; они попросили HRW сделать решительное заявление против нарушений прав человека и провести собственное расследование. Подписавшие письмо заявили, что администрация Обамы поддерживает де-факто правительство Роберто Микелетти , предоставляя «денежную помощь через счет « Вызовы тысячелетия » и другие источники», обучая гондурасских военных студентов в Школе Америки и игнорируя . Четыре дня спустя HRW опубликовала резюме предварительной версии доклада о правах человека в Гондурасе Межамериканского суда по правам человека (IACHR), опубликованного 21 августа, и процитировала его более ранние отчеты (опубликованные до 8 июля): масштаб предполагаемых нарушений и история региона кровавых переворотов, приведших к массовым нарушениям, правозащитники считали, что ситуация требует прямого вмешательства самого авторитетного органа по расследованию прав человека в регионе — Межамериканской комиссии по правам человека ».

9 European Centre for Minority Issues

The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) is human rights organization that conducts policy research, provides information and documentation, as well as advisory services related to national minorities in Europe. ECMI serves European governments and closely cooperates with the academic community and general public.

The aim of ECMI is to facilitate diversity in all aspects of society. The organization is committed to work for improvement on the issues related to minorities in Europe, as well as raising awareness of minority rights amongst all relevant actors. The specific purpose of the organization is to provide actors with knowledge and tools that will empower them to exchange views through constructive dialogue to be able to build a peaceful and diverse Europe.

5 Physicians for Human Rights

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is an international organization that uses the medical and scientific tools to attract attention to severe human rights abuses and mass atrocities. It was established on idea that physicians, scientists and other medical professionals own unique skills that would give credibility to investigation and documentation of human rights violations.

The PHR uses its expertise to document mass atrocities, prevent torture, advocate for persecuted medical staff and hold those who abuse human rights accountable. In its work, the organization focuses on psychological and physical effects of sexual violence and torture, excessive use of force on civilians, the forensic documentation as well as the protection of medical professionals and institutions. PHR gives voice to witnesses and survivors of human rights abuses and makes sure that perpetrators are accountable for committed crimes.

20 Center for Economic and Social Rights

The Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) is an international human rights organization promoting social justice through human rights. The CESR upholds universal human rights of all people, including the right to education, health, food, water housing, work, as well as other economic, social and cultural rights that are essential to human dignity. The organization fights against extreme poverty and inequality and holds governments and other actors accountable to respect and fulfill human rights.

The organization’s aim is to fulfill two goals-to promote development and socioeconomic policies that reduce inequality and realize human rights and to support civil society groups in their efforts to claim their social and economic rights. It achieves this by exposing violations of human rights and working with civil society groups around the world assisting them to hold all actors involved accountable for these violations.

22 The Advocates for Human Rights

The Advocates for Human Rights is an independent nonpartisan human rights organization that envisions a world in which all people live with dignity, freedom, justice, equality and peace. The organization implements the international human rights standards to protect the rule of law and promote civil society. With a broad network of volunteers, the organization, the organization builds broad constituencies around the world.

The organization works on investigating and exposing human rights such as against women, representation of immigrants and refugees who become victims of human rights abuses. It also trains and assists to groups that protect human rights, as well as using research, education and advocacy to involve the general public in implementation of international human rights standards.

17 Survival International

Survival International is a human rights organization that campaigns for the rights of indigenous tribal and un-contacted peoples. The organization has more than 50 years of experience in international lobbying and campaigning, mostly focusing on desire of tribal people to keep their ancestral lands.

The organization considers tribal people as ‘’some of the most vulnerable on earth’’. Therefore, it’s goal is change perceptions on misconceptions that are usually used to justify human rights violations. The organization also publicizes the risks that tribes face from actions of states and corporations. Thus, it actively works in partnerships with tribes to raise their voices on the global stage and help foster their self-determination.

13 Human Rights House Foundation

The Human Rights Foundation House Foundation (HRHF) is an international human rights organization that supports and empowers human rights defenders and their organizations through Human Rights Houses. The Human Rights Houses serve as collaborative projects of non-governmental organizations who work together to promote respect for human rights in their countries and abroad.

Organizations that are placed within the Human Rights Houses remain independent and follow their own human rights agenda, but share expertise, solidarity and advocated together on human rights issues. Thus, the Human Rights Houses are the cores of the HRHF’s work, including advocacy, awareness raising, capacity building and protection. By doing this, the HRHF ensures that human rights defenders enjoy freedoms and are able to carry out human rights works. The HRHF promotes the fundamental freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, and the right to be a human rights defender.

Финансирование и услуги

За финансовый год, закончившийся в июне 2008 года, HRW сообщила, что получила около 44 миллионов долларов США в виде общественных пожертвований. В 2009 г. Хьюман Райтс Вотч заявила, что они получают почти 75% финансовой поддержки из Северной Америки, 25% — из Западной Европы и менее 1% — из остального мира.

Согласно финансовой оценке за 2008 год, HRW сообщает, что не принимает никакого прямого или косвенного финансирования от правительств и финансируется за счет взносов частных лиц и фондов.

Финансист и филантроп Джордж Сорос из фондов « Открытое общество» объявил в 2010 году о своем намерении предоставить HRW 100 миллионов долларов США в течение десяти лет, чтобы помочь ей расширить свои усилия на международном уровне: «для повышения эффективности», — сказал он. организацию следует рассматривать как более интернациональную, а не американскую организацию ». Он сказал: «Хьюман Райтс Вотч — одна из наиболее эффективных организаций, которые я поддерживаю. Права человека лежат в основе наших величайших устремлений: они лежат в основе открытых обществ». Благодаря пожертвованию штат Хьюман Райтс Вотч увеличился с 300 до 120 человек. Пожертвование было самым крупным за всю историю организации.

Благотворительный навигатор присвоил Хьюман Райтс Вотч три звезды в целом за 2018 год. Его финансовый рейтинг увеличился с трех звезд в 2015 году до максимальных четырех звезд по состоянию на июнь 2016 года. The Better Business Bureau заявило, что Human Rights Watch соответствует его стандартам благотворительной ответственности.

Хьюман Райтс Вотч опубликовала следующую информацию о расходах на программы и вспомогательные услуги за финансовый год, закончившийся в июне 2011 г.

Хьюман Райтс Вотч опубликовала следующую информацию о расходах на программы и вспомогательные службы за финансовый год, закончившийся в июне 2008 г.

12 Front Line Defenders

The Front Lines Defenders is an independent human rights organization working to protect rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as to protect human rights defenders around the world.

The core of the organization’s activities is providing of security and protection grants to human rights organizations and to individual human rights defenders at risk. The grants are provided for strengthening the protection and security of human rights defenders to be able to continue their work. This often covers digital and communication security, legal fees for those who are judicially harassed, medical fees for those who have been attacked, and family assistance for imprisoned human rights defenders. The part of the organization’s work is also campaigning and lobbying at the international level for the protection of human rights defenders.

Критика со стороны правительства и организаций Эфиопии

Правительство Эфиопии подняло вопросы о методах HRW, заказав отчет, в котором «утверждения Human Rights Watch о нарушениях в Огадене рассматриваются как слухи, а ее методы — как небрежные».

Комиссия по правам человека Эфиопии (EHRC) оспорила достоверность обвинений Рота в том, что правительство Эфиопии коррумпировано и использует финансирование международной помощи в «репрессивных целях». EHRC обвинила Рота в беспристрастности, вызванной желанием «успокоить… богатых финансистов». Оно сослалось на его оценку Программы демократических институтов (DIP) как «поверхностную» и заявило, что его утверждения о коррупции были основаны на «плохой методологии». EHRC также назвала его рекомендации «противоречием», которое призывает «продвигать права человека за счет программ по правам человека и их исполнителей».

Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council, established on 15 March 2006 by the General Assembly and reporting directly to it, replaced the 60-year-old UN Commission on Human Rights as the key UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights. The Council is made up of 47 State representatives and is tasked with strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe by addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them, including responding to human rights emergencies.

The most innovative feature of the Human Rights Council is the Universal Periodic Review. This unique mechanism involves a review of the human rights records of all 193 UN member states once every four years. The Review is a cooperative, state-driven process, under the auspices of the Council, which provides the opportunity for each state to present measures taken and challenges to be met to improve the human rights situation in their country and to meet their international obligations. The Review is designed to ensure universality and equality of treatment for every country.

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights exercises principal responsibility for UN human rights activities. The High Commissioner is mandated to respond to serious violations of human rights and to undertake preventive action.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the focal point for United Nations human rights activities. It serves as the secretariat for the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies (expert committees that monitor treaty compliance) and other UN human rights organs. It also undertakes human rights field activities.

Most of the core human rights treaties have an oversight body which is responsible for reviewing the implementation of that treaty by the countries that have ratified it.  Individuals, whose rights have been violated can file complaints directly to Committees overseeing human rights treaties.

How does the UN promote and protect human rights?

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Headquartered in Geneva, with many regional offices, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has lead responsibility in the UN system for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The office supports the of peacekeeping missions in several countries, and in addition to its regional offices, has HR Centres, Country/Stand-alone Offices and Human Rights Advisors all over the world.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights regularly comments on situations in the world relating to human rights issues, and has the authority to investigate situations and publish reports on them.

UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing Leilani Farha warns of widespread homelessness

OHCHR has a Regional Office for Europe in Belgium, and a Regional Office for Central Asia in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

OHCHR’s Regional Office for North Africa is in Tunis.

Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council, which was established in 2006, meets in Geneva. It replaced the 60-year-old UN Commission on Human Rights as the key independent UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights.

Human Rights Treaty Bodies

The human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties. Each State party to a treaty has an obligation to take steps to ensure that everyone in the State can enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.

The treaty bodies are composed of independent experts of recognized competence in human rights, who are nominated and elected for fixed renewable terms of four years by State parties.

The Human Rights Treaty Body system

Special Procedures

The special procedures of the Human Rights Council are prominent, independent experts working on a voluntary basis, who examine, monitor, publicly report and advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective.

UNDG Human Rights Working Group

The UN Development Group’s Human Rights Working Group advances human rights mainstreaming efforts within the UN development system.

Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect

The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide acts as a catalyst to raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide, to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide, and to advocate and mobilize for appropriate action.

The Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect leads the conceptual, political, institutional and operational development of the Responsibility to Protect.

23 Humanity in Action

Humanity in Action (HIA) is an international non-profit educational organization that globally connects students and leaders who are dedicated to promoting human rights, as well as active citizenship and diversity in their respective communities and around the world.

The organization develops professional development programs at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the European Parliament, the US Congress and other important institutions for its fellows, as well as organizes seminars and exchanges creating and supporting the network of its senior fellows and the broader public. HIA educates young leaders on human rights issues and challenges through cross-cultural dialogues and critical history.

International Human Rights Law

International human rights law lays down the obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

One of the great achievements of the United Nations is the creation of a comprehensive body of human rights law—a universal and internationally protected code to which all nations can subscribe and all people aspire. The United Nations has defined a broad range of internationally accepted rights, including civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. It has also established mechanisms to promote and protect these rights and to assist states in carrying out their responsibilities.

The foundations of this body of law are the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly in 1945 and 1948, respectively.  Since then, the United Nations has gradually expanded human rights law to encompass specific standards for women, children, persons with disabilities, minorities and other vulnerable groups, who now possess rights that protect them from discrimination that had long been common in many societies.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 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, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. Since its adoption in 1948, the UDHR has been translated into more than 500 languages — the most translated document in the world — and has inspired the constitutions of many newly independent States and many new democracies. The UDHR, together with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols (on the complaints procedure and on the death penalty) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and its Optional Protocol, form the so-called International Bill of Human Rights.

Economic, social and cultural rights

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entered into force in 1976. The human rights that the Covenant seeks to promote and protect include:

• the right to work in just and favourable conditions;
• the right to social protection, to an adequate standard of living and to the highest attainable standards of physical and mental well-being;
• the right to education and the enjoyment of benefits of cultural freedom and scientific progress.

Civil and political rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its First Optional Protocol entered into force in 1976. The Second Optional Protocol was adopted in 1989.

The Covenant deals with such rights as freedom of movement; equality before the law; the right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of opinion and expression; peaceful assembly; freedom of association; participation in public affairs and elections; and protection of minority rights. It prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life; torture, cruel or degrading treatment or punishment; slavery and forced labour; arbitrary arrest or detention; arbitrary interference with privacy; war propaganda; discrimination; and advocacy of racial or religious hatred.

Human Rights Conventions

A series of international human rights treaties and other instruments adopted since 1945 have expanded the body of international human rights law. They include the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), among others.

Human Rights and the UN System

Human rights is a cross-cutting theme in all UN policies and programmes in the key areas of peace and security, development, humanitarian assistance, and economic and social affairs. As a result, virtually every UN body and specialized agency is involved to some degree in the protection of human rights. Some examples are the right to development, which is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals; the right to food, championed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, labour rights, defined and protected by the International Labour Organization, gender equality, which is promulgated by UN Women, the rights of children, indigenous peoples, and disabled persons.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December.