Human Rights International Protection Monitoring Enforcement

The series of volumes prepared by UNESCO for teaching human rights at higher education level comes to a successful conclusion with the publication of this volume. An indispensable source of information on the protection of human rights, the volume can also be employed as a practical guide to the use of existing procedures in the defence of human rights.

"This title was first published in 2003. The series of volumes prepared by UNESCO for teaching human rights at higher education level comes to a conclusion with the publication of this volume. "Human Rights: International Protection, Monitoring, Enforcement" takes an institutional approach to the international protection of human rights, examining first the United Nations system, which may be seen as universal, and then analysing regional systems of protection. A useful source of information on the protection of human rights, the volume can also be employed as a practical guide to the use of existing procedures in the defence of human rights."--Provided by publisher.

The series of volumes prepared by UNESCO for teaching human rights at higher education level comes to a successful conclusion with the publication of this volume. Human Rights: International Protection, Monitoring, Enforcement takes an institutional approach to the international protection of human rights, examining first the United Nations system, which may be seen as universal, and then analysing regional systems of protection. An indispensable source of information on the protection of human rights, the volume can also be employed as a practical guide to the use of existing procedures in the defence of human rights.

This guide explains the main human rights mechanisms of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity. The guide introduces the reader and user to a functional understanding of the often complicated procedures associated with human rights implementation and enforcement mechanisms available at the international level.

This title was first published in 2003. The series of volumes prepared by UNESCO for teaching human rights at higher education level comes to a conclusion with the publication of this volume. "Human Rights: International Protection, Monitoring, Enforcement" takes an institutional approach to the international protection of human rights, examining first the United Nations system, which may be seen as universal, and then analysing regional systems of protection. A useful source of information on the protection of human rights, the volume can also be employed as a practical guide to the use of existing procedures in the defence of human rights.

Every state in the world has undertaken human rights obligations on the basis of UN treaties. Today's challenge is to enhance the effectiveness of procedures and institutions established to promote the accountability of governments. The six treaty bodies that monitor and evaluate state policies and practices play a vital role, but the whole system has been stretched almost to breaking point. It is under-funded, many governments fail to report or do so very late or superficially, there is a growing backlog of individual complaints, broad reservations have been lodged by many states, and the expertise of committee members has been questioned. This volume contains detailed analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the system, written by leading participants in the work of the treaty bodies. Their recommendations provide a blueprint for far-reaching reform of a system of major importance for the future of international efforts to protect human rights.

This revised and updated collection is intended to serve as a thematic textbook on the institutions and procedures devoted to the national implementation of human rights and to the international monitoring of State performance. Albeit not exhaustive, the coverage extends to most of the monitoring instances available at intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations: complaints, fact-finding and investigative procedures, State reporting obligations, good offices actions, dialogue functions, human rights education, dissemination of human rights information, letter campaigns, and technical co-operation. The target audience of the book is students of international human rights law, but the book can also serve as a guide for both officials and activists involved in the realization of human rights.The success of the first edition has allowed for this second edition. It demonstrates that there is a important demand for literature with a focus on human rights monitoring and follow-up activities.