International Human Rights Law

This chapter provides an introduction to international human rights law. After introducing human rights generally, the chapter goes on to provide an overview of civil and political rights and of economic, social and cultural rights. A subsequent outline of the limitations and derogations that can be put on human rights provides understanding of the limits of human rights law. Following this, an overview of the United Nations human rights system is given, examining the three main agents of human rights within the United Nations: the treaty bodies (who oversee the implementation of the human rights treaties); the Human Rights Council (which undertakes the Universal Periodic Review); and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (which oversees incorporating human rights into all United Nations entities and actions). The chapter looks at the extraterritorial application of human rights, before concluding with two conflict- and security-related human rights case studies.