International human rights instruments

International human rights instruments can be divided further into global instruments, to which any state in the world can be a party, and regional instruments, which are restricted to states in a particular region of the world.

Most conventions and recommendations (but few declarations) establish mechanisms for monitoring and establish bodies to oversee their implementation. In some cases these bodies that may have relatively little political authority or legal means, and may be ignored by member states; in other cases these mechanisms have bodies with great political authority and their decisions are almost always implemented. A good example of the latter is the European Court of Human Rights.

Monitoring mechanisms also vary as to the degree of individual access to expose cases of abuse and plea for remedies. Under some conventions or recommendations – e.g. the European Convention on Human Rights – individuals or states are permitted, subject to certain conditions, to take individual cases to a full-fledged tribunal at international level. Sometimes, this can be done in national courts because of universal jurisdiction.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights together with other international human rights instruments are sometimes referred to as the "International Bill of Human Rights". International human rights instruments are identified by the OHCHR and most are referenced on the OHCHR website.

Declarations

Global

• Declaration of the Rights of the Child 1923
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN, 1948)
• Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UN, 1975)
• Declaration on the Right to Development (UN study published in 1979; UN declaration proclaimed in 1986)
• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (World Conference on Human Rights, 1993)
• Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (The Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995)
• Declaration of Human Duties and Responsibilities (UNESCO, 1998)
• Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001)
• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN, 2007)
• UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity (UN, 2008)

Regional: Americas

• American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (OAS, 1948)
• American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (OAS, 2016)

Regional: Asia

• Declaration of the Basic Duties of ASEAN Peoples and Governments (Regional Council on Human Rights in Asia, 1983)
• ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (ASEAN, 2009)

Regional: Middle East

• Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (OIC,1990)