Some Agreements in International Relation

A.    Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General of Assembly on 10 December 1948 at Palais de Chaillot, Paris. The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. It consists of 30 articles which have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions and laws. The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Convenan on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols. In 1966 the General Assembly adopted the two detailed Covenants, which complete the International Bill of Human Rights; and in 1976, after the Covenants had been ratified by a sufficient number of individual nations, the Bill took on the force of international law.

B.     International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966, and in force from March 23, 1976. It commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial. As of March 2012, the Covenant had 74 signatories and 167 parties.

The ICCPR is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Convenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The ICCPR is monitored by the Human Rights Committee (a separate body to the Human Rights Council), which reviews regular reports of States parties on how the rights are being implemented. States must report initially one year after acceding to the Covenant and then whenever the Committee requests (usually every four years). The Committee normally meets in Geneva and normally holds three sessions per year.

C.     Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam

The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) is a declaration of the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. It was adopted in Cairo in 1990, which provides an overview on the Islamic perspective on human rights, and affirms Islamic Shari’ah as its sole source. CDHRI declares its purpose to be "general guidance for Member States of the OIC in the Field of human rights". This declaration is usually seen as an Islamic response to the post World War II United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948.