Since 1948, the study of human rights has been dominated by legal scholarship that has sought to investigate the development of human rights law, emerging jurisprudence, regional systems, the decisions and recommendations of human rights mechanisms and institutions and to a lesser extent the ‘compliance gaps’ between state commitments and actions. Even so, in all of these spheres there are …
Based on the experience of the Innu resident in Quebec and Labrador, this book is intended to be a work of advocacy for the full extent of the rights of indigenous peoples whose landholdings have been devastated in the Canadian land claims process. As things stand at present, the Innu who are resident in government villages in Quebec have lost their rights to …
Peru's industrial mining sector is highly conflictual and characterized by social disputes. Many of these conflicts are fought not only in politics but also in the courts, as activists attempt to hold corporate and state actors liable for human rights violations. At the same time, they face an increasing criminalization of their protests. Law is thus both an emancipatory tool for activists to a…
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings. They define relationships between individuals and power structures, especially the State. Human rights delimit State power and, at the same time, require States to take positive measures ensuring an environment that enables all people to enjoy their human rights. History in the past 250 years has been shaped by the struggle to create such an…
This chapter is intended to provide practical guidance on the protection of persons who come into contact with HROs in the context of human rights monitoring and fact-finding activities (hereinafter: cooperating persons), and who may face threats or be subjected to reprisals as a result of that interaction. The focus of this chapter, and of the Manual, is on activities carried out by HROs work…
Attaining equality between women and men and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women are fundamental human rights and United Nations values. Women around the world nevertheless regularly suffer violations of their human rights throughout their lives, and realizing women’s human rights has not always been a priority. Achieving equality between women and men requires a comprehensi…
One of the principal purposes of the United Nations, as set out in the United Nations Charter, is to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. There has been a marked shift in recent years in the United Nations approach to human rights. The 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action called upo…