Timeline of Major International Human Rights Treaties
1948 |
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Universal
Declaration)
The Universal
Declaration was the first detailed expression of the
basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are
entitled. |
1948 |
Genocide Convention
The Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was
adopted by the UN in an effort to prevent atrocities, such as the Holocaust,
from happening again. The Convention defines the crime of genocide. |
1951 |
Refugee Convention
The Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees protects the rights of people who are
forced to flee their home country for fear of persecution on specific grounds. |
1960 |
Discrimination in Employment
Convention
The International Labour Organisation Discrimination
(Employment and Occupation) Convention (No. 111) prohibits discrimination at work on many grounds, including race, sex, religion,
political opinion and social origin. |
1966 |
Racial Discrimination Convention
The International Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
obliges states to take steps to prohibit racial discrimination and promote
understanding among all races. |
1966 |
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Covenant
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
protects rights like the right to an adequate standard of living, education,
work, healthcare, and social security. The ICESCR and the ICCPR (below) build on
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by creating binding obligations
for state parties. |
1966 |
Civil and Political Rights Covenant
Human rights protected by the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
include the right to vote, the right to freedom of association, the right to a
fair trial, right to privacy, and the right to freedom of religion. The First Optional
Protocol to the ICCPR creates a mechanism for individuals
to make complaints about breaches of their rights. The Second Optional
Protocol concerns abolition of the death
penalty. |
1979 |
Discrimination against Women
Convention
Under the Convention of the Elimination of All forms
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),
states must take steps to eliminate discrimination against women and to ensure
that women enjoy human rights to the same degree as men in a range of areas,
including education, employment, healthcare and family life. The Optional
Protocol establishes a mechanism for making
complaints. |
1984 |
Convention against Torture
The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or other Degrading Treatment of Punishment (CAT)
aims to prevent torture around the world. It requires states to take steps to
eliminate torture in within their borders. And it prohibits states from sending
a person to another country where he or she would be in danger of being
subjected to torture.
The Optional
Protocol creates a system for regular inspection of
places of detention. |
1989 |
Children’s Convention
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
states that children are entitled to the same human rights as all other people.
It also creates special rights for children, recognising their particular
vulnerability, such as the right to express their views freely, and that
decisions affecting children must consider the best interests of the
child.
There are two Optional Protocols, one on child prostitution and
pornography and another on the involvement of
children in armed conflict. |
1989 |
Indigenous Peoples Convention
The International Labour Organisation Indigenous and Tribal
Peoples Convention (No. 169) aims to protect the rights
of Indigenous and tribal peoples around the world. It is based on respect for
the right of Indigenous peoples to maintain their own identities and to decide
their own path for development in all areas including land rights, customary
law, health and employment. |
1990 |
Convention on Migrant Workers
The International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their
Families aims to ensure that migrant workers enjoy
full protection of their human rights, regardless of their legal
status. |
2006 |
Convention on Persons with
Disabilities
The Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities aims to
promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by
persons with disability. It includes the right to health, education,
employment, accessibility, and non-discrimination. The Optional
Protocol establishes an individual complaints
mechanism. |
2007 |
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples
This Declaration establishes minimum standards for the enjoyment of individual and collective
rights by Indigenous peoples. These include the right to effectively participate
in decision-making on matters which affect them, and the right to pursue their
own priorities for economic, social and cultural development. |
