Skip to Main Content

Human Rights: Sources

Sources

 

 

  • International Treaties: Universal application (e.g. Int’l Convention on the Rights of the Child), or regional (e.g. African Charter on Human and People’s Rights).
  • Customary international law: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Topics vary; broad or narrow.
  • Soft law: UN resolutions, decisions of human rights bodies, non-binding treaties, etc.
    • Soft law has a high possibility to become hard law lik customary international law like UDHR and treaties.
  • Decisions: International or national
  • Country Reports: From IGOs, NGOs, and Governments
  • Opinions of Highly Qualified Publicists: Most secondary sources such as treatises and Articles