2. The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights
Article 16. & Article 17.
• The right to marry and to
found a family and the right
to own property
Article 18. & Article 19.
• Freedom of
thought, conscience and
religion and freedom of
opinion and expression
3. Women’s Rights
• 2010 UN Entity for Gender Equality and
Empowerment of Women (UNWomen.org)
– Grounded in a vision of equality, works for the:
• elimination of discrimination against women and girls;
• empowerment of women; and
• achievement of equality between women and men as partners
and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian
action and peace and security.
4. Women’s Rights
• Commission on the Status of Women- has
elaborated international guidelines and laws
for women’s equality and non-discrimination
– 1979 Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women
• Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
– monitors the 1979 Convention, considers reports,
assesses progress, etc.
5. Women in National Parliaments
Regional Averages (%)
Pacific
Arab States
Asia Both Houses Combined
Sub-Saharan Africa
Europe- OSCE Member… Upper House or Senate
Europe- OSCE Member…
Single House or Lower
Americas House
Nordic Countries
0 20 40 60 80 100
6. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 20. The right to peaceful assembly and
association
Article 21. The right to take part in the government
and equal access to public service
Article 22.The right to social security
Article 23. The right to work; the right to equal pay
for equal work; the right to form and join trade
unions.
Article 24.The right to rest and leisure.
7. International Labour Organization
• The ILO is the international
organization responsible for
drawing up and overseeing
international labour
standards.
• It is the only 'tripartite' UN
agency that brings together
representatives of
gov’ts, employers and “The primary goal of the ILO
workers to jointly shape today is to promote opportunities
for women and men to obtain
policies and programmes decent and productive work, in
promoting Decent Work for conditions of
all. freedom, equity, security and
human dignity.”
8. ILO Fundamental Conventions
• Forced Labour Convention, 1930- suppression of forced or compulsory labour.
Exceptions -military service, convict labour properly supervised, emergencies such
as wars, fires, earthquakes.
• Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize
Convention, 1948- the right of all workers/employers to form/join organizations of
their own choosing w/o prior authorization.
• Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949- protection against
anti-union discrimination, for protection of workers’ and employers’ orgs against
acts of interference, and for measures to promote collective bargaining.
• Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951- =pay and benefits for men & women .
• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957- Prohibits the use of any form of
forced or compulsory labour as a means of political coercion, punishment for the
expression of political or ideological views, workforce mobilization, labour
discipline, punishment for participation in strikes, or discrimination.
9. More Fundamental Conventions
• Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958-
Calls for a national policy to eliminate discrimination in access to
employment, training and working conditions, on grounds of
race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or
social origin, and to promote equality of opportunity and
treatment.
• Minimum Age Convention, 1973 Aims at the abolition of child
labour, stipulating that the minimum age for admission to
employment shall not be less than the age of completion of
compulsory schooling.
• Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 Calls for immediate
and effective measures to secure the prohibition and elimination of
the worst forms of child labour, which include slavery and similar
practices, forced recruitment for use in armed conflict, use in
prostitution and pornography, and any illicit activity, as well as work
which is likely to harm the health, safety and morals of children.
11. Rights of Migrant Workers
• Migrant worker- “a person who is to be engaged
or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in
a State of which he or she is not a national “
• Migrant Worker Convention 1990- makes it
illegal to expel migrant workers on a collective
basis and or destroy their identity
documents, work permits, or passports.
– Entitles migrant workers to many rights shared by
nationals (social benefits, medical care, trade unions
etc…)
12. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 25.
• The right to a standard of living adequate for
the health and well-being … including
food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services...
• Motherhood and childhood are entitled to
special care and assistance
13. The Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN
VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES Director-General prioritizes
• to support the progressive Horn of Africa
realization of the right to
adequate food in the
context of national food
security
• Enable people to feed
themselves with dignity
and to establish a safety net
for those who are unable to
do so
14. The Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Permanent Forum on Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Issues
Indigenous People
• Subsidiary organ of ECOSOC
formed in 2000 • 2007- sets out rights of
• Six mandated areas of indigenous people
UNPFI: including- rights to
– Economic and social culture, identity
development , language, employment, he
– Culture alth and education
– Environment
– Education
– Health
– Human rights
15. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 26.
• The right to education. Education shall be free, at
least in the elementary and fundamental stages.
Article 27.
• The right freely to participate in the cultural life
of the community; the right to the protection of
the moral and material interests resulting from
any scientific, literary or artistic production of
which he is the author.
16. Declaration on the Right to
Development
The right to development is an inalienable
human right by virtue of which every human
person and all peoples are entitled to
participate in, contribute to, and enjoy
economic, social, cultural and political
development, in which all human rights and
fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.
17. The Rights of Children
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Office of
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)- strive
for global commitment to the Convention on the Rights
of the Children
– Committee on the Rights of the Child- monitors progress of
States fulfilling obligations of the convention
• In 2000 Gen. Assembly adopted 2 optional protocols:
– Prohibits recruitment of children under 18 into the armed
forces or their participation in hostilities
– Strengthens prohibitions/penalties concerning sale of
children, child prostitution, and child pornography
19. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 28.- Article 30.
• Recognize that everyone is entitled to a social and
international order in which human rights set
forth in the Declaration may be fully realized;
• that these rights may only be limited for the sole
purpose of securing recognition and respect of
the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting
the requirements of morality, public order and
general welfare in a democratic society;
• and that each person has duties to the
community in which she or he lives
20. Racism
• Apartheid: Ended a system of institutionalized racial
segregation and discrimination imposed by the South
African government from 1948 until the early 1990s.
• 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racism
• International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination- Legally binding
instrument
• It defines racial discrimination as any
distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based
on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin
which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or
impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise… of
human rights and fundamental freedoms…"
21. Rights of Minorities
• Some 1 billion people worldwide belong to
minority groups many of which are subject to
discrimination and exclusion and are often the
victims of conflict
• Forum on Minority Issues- 2007 provides a
platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation
on issues pertaining to national or
ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities as well
as thematic contributions and expertise to the
work of the independent expert on minority
issues
22. Persons with Disabilities
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and its Optional Protocol General Principles
• Some 650 million people (10% of the • Respect for inherent dignity, individual
world’s population, of which some 80% autonomy including the freedom to
lives in the developing world) have make one’s own choices, and
some type of physical mental or independence of persons
sensory impairment • Non-discrimination
Key Issues • Full and effective participation and
inclusion in society
• MDGs and Disability • Respect for difference and acceptance
• Women and girls with disabilities of persons with disabilities as part of
• Disability and statistics human diversity and humanity
• Equality of opportunity
• Disability and HIV/AIDS
• Accessibility
• Mental Health and Development • Equality between men and women
• Disability, natural disasters and • Respect for the evolving capacities of
emergency situations children with disabilities and respect for
• Disability and Sports the right of children with disabilities to
preserve their identities
23. Administration of Justice
• The UN worked to develop standards and codes
that serve as models for national legislation. They
cover such issues as:
– Treatment of prisoners
– Protection of detained juveniles
– Use of firearms by police
– Conduce of law enforcement officials
– Role of lawyers and prosecutors
– Independence of judiciary
• 2010 – there were 24 International Instruments
relating to administration of justice