Work Together to Protect Human Rights

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you'll be able to:

Explain how human rights are protected at the national level.
Explain how national protection of human rights is supported at the regional and international levels.
List actions you can take to protect human rights.

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighbourhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt (Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights that drafted the UDHR in 1946-1948), 10 December 1958

So, How Are Human Rights Protected at the National Level?

Indeed, it takes a concerted effort to uphold human rights. And this effort comes in the form of laws, institutions, organizations, and other key actors to ensure human rights are safeguarded. Let’s learn more.

The scales of justice

Laws

National laws are the first line of defense in human rights protection. Countries most often enshrine human rights at the national level in their supreme law, the Constitution, which usually encompasses a “Bill of Rights.” Yet, at times, national laws may be inconsistent with international human rights law. Therefore, several bodies and mechanisms are in place at the national, regional, and international levels to support alignment of national legislation with international standards.

Let’s begin by looking at the bodies and mechanisms in place at the national level which constitute the national human rights protection system.

Institutions, Organizations, and Other Actors

As we learned in unit two, States bear the primary responsibility for respecting, protecting, and fulfilling human rights. To accomplish this, the government, parliament, judiciary, and other national bodies enact laws, set policy frameworks, make judicial decisions, and monitor the impact of their policies and programs. In particular, the judiciary system has a vital role in enforcing laws protecting human rights, overseeing the constitutionality of government and parliament acts, and applying a general human rights lens to all work and decisions. In performing their duties, law enforcement agencies, such as the police, are required to comply with human rights standards.

Civil society also plays a central role in protecting human rights, whether through the dedicated work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or of other actors such as community service organizations, professional groups or associations, trade unions, and religious institutions.

The media also brings human rights issues and concerns to the broader public’s attention, providing a forum for discussion and debate. Additionally, the education system exposes students at all levels to human rights through various educational activities and programs.

Specific human rights bodies, referred to as “National Human Rights Institutions” (such as Human Rights Commissions, Ombudspersons, Defensores del Pueblo, Mediateurs, etc.), exist in many countries. These bodies have specific functions related to human rights, such as reviewing cases where States or groups may have violated human rights, advising States on compliance, and promoting human rights education. And business also plays an increasingly important role.

Support at the International and Regional Levels

Along with national laws and actors, at the regional and international levels, human rights are protected by international and regional bodies and mechanisms. Let’s learn more about this.

International Agreements

Earlier, we learned that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) inspired several international agreements, among States (called, in legal terms, “treaties,” “covenants,” or “conventions”), adopted at the UN General Assembly. Two main treaties, which detail respectively civil and political rights as well as economic, social, and cultural rights, form with the UDHR the so-called “International Bill of Rights." These include:

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965) condemns racial discrimination as repugnant to the ideals of any human society and specifies the measures States should undertake to eliminate it.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) prescribes measures to eliminate such discrimination in political and public life, education, employment, health, marriage, and the family.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) recognizes the human rights of children and prioritizes their best interests. More countries have ratified this convention than any other human rights treaty.

All told, the UDHR has inspired more than 200 international human rights documents. Each of them marks progress for the realization of human rights for all as envisioned by the UDHR.

The Role of the UN Human Rights Council

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is a key intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them.

Through the Council’s review process — known as “Universal Periodic Review” (UPR) — the Council assesses the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Periodically, States consider steps the State under review has taken to improve the human rights situation and make recommendations for priority action.

By shedding light on all Member States’ human rights situations, the UPR serves as a global road map for implementing human rights programs and policies. It has also provided a key point of leverage for human rights defenders on the ground locally and internationally to hold governments accountable to their promises.

Human Rights Council meeting

(FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

The UPR has triggered important achievements in some countries, such as:

Abolishment of the death penalty.
Laws combating domestic violence.
Strategies to eradicate poverty.
Policies on adequate housing.

In addition to the UPR, other initiatives of the Council can include the appointment of independent experts to address either specific human rights country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world (the so-called “special procedures”).

To learn more about the UPR process and the special procedures, see the Resources section at the end of this unit for a link to the UN HRC website.

Other International Bodies

Other international bodies that work to ensure the protection of human rights at the national level include:

Treaty bodies — committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the main international human rights treaties.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights) — the leading UN entity on human rights that works to ensure the universal enjoyment of all human rights by addressing obstacles to implementation.
Other UN entities such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), among others. For the complete list of the UN’s entities, including funds, programs, specialized agencies, and other acting bodies, please visit the “About the UN” link in the Resources section.

Regional Systems

Regional human rights systems also reinforce national and international human rights standards and mechanisms by addressing human rights concerns within a specific region's particular social, historical, and political context. Examples of regional human rights agreements include the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950), the American Convention on Human Rights (1969), and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1981). These instruments draw from, and are complementary to, international human rights law. Relevant regional organizations include the Organization of American States, the Council of Europe, and the African Union.

Now That You Know More, You Can Do More

Now that you know more, what can you do to contribute to the realization of human rights? First, familiarize yourself with human rights and your country's situation, including the UN and regional systems' involvement and presence. There are many online resources where you can learn more, including the UN Human Rights website.

Next, decide how to make your contribution. Take a look at these suggestions, and follow the corresponding links in the Resources section to learn more and take action.

Join civil society organizations working at the local, national, regional, and international levels, such as a human rights-focused NGO.
Explore the UN's "Stand Up for Human Rights" website to learn more about promoting and defending human rights.
Visit the UDHR homepage for many UDHR resources, including more than 50 ideas to advocate for human rights and commemorate the UDHR.
Take the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) module on Trailhead to learn more about how businesses can help support human rights and global development.

Knowing more about the UDHR helps us stand even more firmly together — as individuals, businesses, and States — for human rights. Though times have changed significantly since the outset of the UN Charter and UDHR, we can always look to both as our North Star — keeping us focused on what matters most.

Thank you.