Conceptualization of

Human Rights
Ainun Nishat Chowdhury
Lecturer, Department Of Peace, Conflict And Human
Rights
Course Code- PCH 2419
Human rights are rights inherent to all human
beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality,
ethnicity, language, religion, or any other
status. Human rights include the right to life
and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture,
freedom of opinion and expression, the right
to work and education, and many more.
Everyone is entitled to these rights, without
discrimination.
-United Nations
 Nature/ Characteristics of Human Rights
 Human rights are inalienable.

 Human rights are indivisible, interdependent and interrelated.

 Human rights are universal.

 It includes principles of equality, non-discrimination,

participation, and inclusion.

 These are bound by accountability and the rule of law.

 Classification of Human Rights

Human Rights

Economic, social and Civil and political

cultural rights rights
Core International Human Rights
Instruments
 Core International Human Rights
Instruments
 The Charter of the United Nations (1945)

 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (or

Genocide Convention), 1948

 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

(CEDAW)

 International Bill of Human Rights

 The Charter of the United Nations (1945)
It is the founding document of the United Nations.
It was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at
the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on
International Organization, and came into force on 24
October 1945.
The Charter consists of a preamble and 111
articles grouped into 19 chapters.
 The Charter of the United Nations (1945)

Chapter IX of the UN Charter includes the following provisions:

Article 55(c) states that the United Nations shall promote "universal
respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms
for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion."

Article 56 provides that “all members pledge themselves to take joint

and separate action in cooperation with the Organization [the UN] for
the achievement and purposes set forth in Article 55."
 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(1948)
It was proclaimed by the United Nations General
Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948.
 It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human
rights to be universally protected.
The Declaration was adopted for the purpose of
defining the "human rights" and "fundamental
freedoms”.
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide (or Genocide Convention), 1948

 It codified for the first time the crime of genocide.

It was the first human rights treaty adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on 9
December 1948.
Signified the international community’s
commitment to ‘never again’ after the atrocities
committed during the Second World War.
 International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Racial Discrimination

 Adopted on 21 December 1965 by UN General

Assembly resolution 2106 (XX).
Entry into force on 4 January 1969.
All Member States have pledged themselves to take
joint and separate action to promote and encourage
universal respect for and observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to
race, sex, language or religion.
 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

 It was adopted by the United Nations General

Assembly on 18 December 1979.
 It is often described as an international bill of rights
for women.
It defines what constitutes discrimination against
women and sets up an agenda for national action to
end such discrimination.
 International Bill of Human Rights
In December 1966, the UN General Assembly adopted two
international treaties-
International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

These are often referred to as “the International Covenants.”

UDHR designed the path towards International Bill of Human rights .
Together, the UDHR and these two Covenants are known as the
International Bill of Human Rights.