The Fundamentals of International Human Rights Treaty Law

This book has a simple objective: to present the fundamentals of international human rights treaty law in a way that can be helpful to the national leader, official, or legal adviser whose duty it is to help put a human rights treaty regime into the law and practice in his or her country. It is a book of international law, as provided for in the principal international and regional human rights treaties and draws upon the jurisprudence and practice of their monitoring organs. Chapter I discusses the nature and characteristics of international human rights law. Chapter II discusses the concept of a national protection system which must be in place if a human rights treaty is to be adequately implemented. Chapter III discusses the jurisprudence and practice of treaty bodies on the foundation issues of democracy and the rule of law. Chapter IV discusses human rights in times of crises and emergencies. Chapter V discusses preventive strategies. Chapter VI discusses the duty of Governments to respect, to protect and to ensure human rights. Chapter VII discusses the duty of Governments to provide redress for violations that might take place. Chapter VIII discusses the essence of supervision in reporting systems. Chapter IX discusses the essence of petitions and fact-finding procedures. Chapter X concludes with a discussion of the bedrock principles of universality, equality and justice as they emerge from the jurisprudence and practice of human rights treaty bodies.