Humanitarian Studies Programs: Law and Protection

The guide aims to help members of Parliament to become familiar with the general principles of international refugee law and to learn how they are implemented, so they can fully discharge their responsibilities.

The Handbook and the Guidelines are intended to guide government officials, judges, practitioners, as well as UNHCR staff applying the refugee definition.

Frequently asked questions about the treaty and its protocol.

United Nations multilateral treaty that aims to protect stateless individuals.

United Nations multilateral treaty whereby sovereign states agree to reduce the incidence of statelessness.

Searchable database of national (and other) law related to asylum, nationality, and the rights of refugees.

This handbook provides operational guidance and tools to support effective protection responses in situations of internal displacement.

The resolution includes UN GA’s concerns and comments about general situation of displacement, as well as encouragements and guidelines for national and international bodies working in that field.

This field-based study of international protection for internally displaced persons was a collaborative undertaking of the Internal Displacement Unit (now Division) of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Brookings Institution-Johns Hopkins SAIS Project on Internal Displacement.

Ratified in November of 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child promotes and protects the rights of children worldwide. It is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.

Ratified in November of 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child promotes and protects the rights of children worldwide. It is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. Spanish Translation

The First Optional Protocol restricts the involvement of children in military conflicts.

The Second Optional Protocol prohibits the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The Third Optional Protocol establishes an international complaints procedure for violations of child rights.

This report emphasizes progress and achievement attained in each of UNICEF’s seven programme areas for child protection.

This report and the accompanying Humanitarian Action Study summarize the scope of the humanitarian crises facing children in 2015, and the response put forward by UNICEF and partners.

The Child Protection Strategy defines the contribution of UNICEF to national and international efforts to fulfil children’s rights to protection and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, within the context of the UNICEF medium-term strategic plan (MTSP) for 2006-2009.

This resource pack is strengthens the evidence base of child protection through clear and practical guidance for improved planning and M&E practices and documentation of good practices and lessons learned, in line with the main approaches in UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy (2008).

The Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action are a global framework for humanitarian action for children undertaken by UNICEF and its partners.

Ratified in November of 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child promotes and protects the rights of children worldwide. It is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. French Translation.

Answers to FAQ regarding International Humanitarian Law.

A summary of the fundamental rules and protocols of international humanitarian law and intervention in armed conflicts. Visit - https://www.rulac.org/

The First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded Armies in the Field declares the rights and protections which must be given to victims of armed conflicts including armed soldiers, medical and religious personnel, and civilians.

The Second Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea sets the guidelines for the protection, rights, and treatment of all involved parties at sea during armed conflict, including medical, religious, and aid workers.

The Third Geneva Convention defines and outlines the humanitarian protections given to prisoners of war.

The Fourth Geneva Convention defines the protections for civilians in times of war.

Protocol I, a 1977 amendment to the Geneva Conventions, pertains to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts such as colonial domination, alien occupation, and racist regimes.

Protocol II, a 1977 amendment to the Geneva Conventions, pertains to the protection of vicitms of non-international armed conflicts.

Protocol III, a 2005 amendment to the Geneva Conventions, approved the Red Crystal emblem as a protective symbol of the Red Cross that may be displayed by medical and religious personnel during times of war to indicate their humanitarian service and neutrality.

The treaty which established the International Criminal Court's functions, jurisdiction, and structure.

Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land.

List of national legislation relevant to international humanitarian law, organized by State and topic.

Developing a common understanding was ensures that UN agencies, funds and programs apply a consistent Human Rights-Based Approach to common programming processes at global and regional levels.

The publication provides practical illustrations of a human rights-based approach.

This paper seeks to unravel some of the tangled threads of contemporary rights talk. Where is today’s rights-based discourse coming from? Why rights and why now? What are the differences between versions and emphases articulated by different international development actors? What are their shortcomings, and what do these imply for the practice and politics of development?

Michael Posner and Deirdre Clancy's take on the role humanitarian organizations in refugee crises.

This paper explores the growing trend of rights-based approaches to development, drawing from interviews with a range of primarily US-based international human rights and development organisations as well as from insights through the authors’ years of experience working with development and rights groups in the global south.

Factsheet on legal preparedness for international disaster response.

The publication contains background information on the adoption of the Guidelines for the domestic facilitation and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance.

The IDRL Guidelines are meant to assist governments to become better prepared for the common legal problems in international response operations.

These annotations provide some background on the provision of the draft Guidelines and summarize the legal precedents upon which they are based.

This model legislation is designed to assist states interested in incorporating the recommendations of the IDRL Guidelines into their own law.

This database compiles international, regional and domestic legal instruments relevant to disaster management as well as legal articles and reports.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, sets a common standard for the fundamental human rights which must be universally protected.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, sets a common standard for the fundamental human rights which must be universally protected. French translation.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948, sets a common standard for the fundamental human rights which must be universally protected. Spanish translation.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1948, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines genocide and requires all signatories to prevent and punish all acts of genocide.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly on 16 December 1996 as a part of the International Bill of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights grants rights such as the right to religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to vote, and the right to a fair trial to all individuals.

Signatories of the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR agree to submit complaints to the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding alleged violations of rights under the Covenant.

The ICESCR, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966, aims to ensure the protection of economic, social and cultural rights.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966, this multilateral treaty commits all signatories to work towards equal economic, social, and cultural rights to all individuals and to their non-self governing and trust territories.

Adopted in 1979, the CEDAW is essentially an international bill of women's rights, and addresses women's issues such as discrimination, economic and social rights, political representation, and sex trafficking.

Adopted in 1965, the ICERD commits all signatories to the elimination of racial discrimination, and requires the outlawing of hate speech and the criminalization of membership of racist organizations.

The European Convention on Human Rights serves to protect fundamental human rights and freedoms across Europe.

Operational guidelines and field manual on human rights protection in situations of natural disaster to help people in the field to understand the human rights dimensions of their work in disaster response while giving them practical examples and operational steps about how some of these seemingly abstract concepts may be implemented.

Information on States’ ratification of the core UN human rights instruments, organized by State or by instrument

Up-to-date information on State ratification of UN human rights treaties, with text of reservations, understandings, and declarations (RUDs), as well as information on adoption and entry into force.

A quick reference for both regional and UN human rights treaties by their popular names.

Resolutions emitted by the United Nations political organs, including the General Assembly, Security Council, and Human Rights Council.

Searchable database of all UN human rights mechanisms’ country-specific findings and recommendations, including Universal Periodic Review outcomes, in addition to other documents.