|
|
|
|
Human
Rights in International Law |
Appropriate
to the United NationÕs creed of global cooperation and efforts towards peace,
the United Nations has formed several bodies in order to deal with the issues
of torture and other infractions against human rights. á The Mandate of the Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): ÒThe Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR), a department of the United Nations Secretariat, is mandated to
promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all
rights established in the Charter of the United Nations and in international human
rights laws and treaties. The mandate includes preventing human rights violations,
securing respect for all human rights, promoting international cooperation to
protect human rights, coordinating related activities throughout the United
Nations, and strengthening and streamlining the United Nations system in the
field of human rights. In addition to its mandated responsibilities, the
Office leads efforts to integrate a human rights approach within all work
carried out by United Nations agencies.Ó á The Committee
Against Torture began
in January 1, 1988. States who
enter into the Convention against Torture must report to the Committee one
year after entry into the Convention.
After the initial report, reports are supposed to be submitted by
states every four years. The
committee will then review the reports and issue recommendations to the state
in question. The Committee meets
in Geneva annually for two sessions. á A list of United Nations Human Rights Bodies á May 19, 2006: ÒA United Nations panel called on the
United States today to close the detention center at Guant‡namo Bay, Cuba and
expressed concern over reports of secret detention centers and of a practice
of sending terror suspects to countries with poor human rights records.Ó Article
from the NY times. |
