There are nine core international human rights treaties and accompanying treaty bodies, as follows:
1) 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD)
The ICERD entered into force on 4 January 1969 and is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Further information about the CERD’s General Recommendations, Complaints Procedures, and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
2) 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
The ICCPR entered into force on 23 March 1976 and is monitored by the Human Rights Committee (CCPR).
Further information about the CCPR’s General Recommendations, Complaints Procedures, the First and Second Optional Protocols, and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
3) 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)
The ICESCR entered into force on 3 January 1976 and is monitored by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).
Further information about the CESCR’s General Recommendations, individual complaints mechanism under the Optional Protocol, and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
4) 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
The CEDAW entered into force on 3 September 1981 and is monitored by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Further information about the Committee’s General Recommendations, Complaints Procedures, the Optional Protocol and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
5) 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
The CAT entered into force on 26 June 1987 and is monitored by the Committee against Torture (CAT).
Further information about the Committee’s General Recommendations, Complaints Procedures, the Optional Protocol, and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
6) 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
The CRC entered into force on 2 September 1990 and is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
Further information about the Committee’s General Recommendations, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and Country Reports that have been submitted, can be located through the website for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
7) 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW)
The ICRMW entered into force on 1 July 2003 and is monitored by the Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW).
Further information about the work of the CMW can found on the following Fact Sheet.
8) 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The CRPD entered into force on 3 May 2008 and is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
9) 2006 International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (CPED)
The CPED will enter into force on 23 December 2010 and is monitored by the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED).
For more information about the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), please see the following resources:
Australian CEDAW Action Plan
The CEDAW Action Plan has been developed by the CEDAW Project Advisory Group, comprised of various community and women's organisations and led by YWCA Australia. It highlights 15 points that the Australian Government, and State and Territory Governments, must work towards in responding to the international community’s concerns about the human rights of Australian women. The Action Plan is based on findings released by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
Woman of the World - Know your International Human Rights
This is an online Resource from the Australian Human Rights Commission which details Australia's implementation of CEDAW as well as explains the goals and principles of CEDAW and the Optional Protocol.
CEDAW and the Human Rights Based Approach to Programming - A UNIFEM Guide
This publication is a practical guide to the human rights-based approach (HRBA) to programming for UNIFEM staff as well as partners, with a particular focus on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It highlights concrete implications for programming of applying the HRBA and provides detailed background information on CEDAW and other human rights treaties.
Participation in ICESCR and CEDAW Reporting Processes: Guidelines for Writing on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Shadow/Alternative Reports
This guide has been jointly prepared by IWRAW Asia Pacific and ESCR-Net, based on IWRAW Asia Pacific’s guidelines for preparing an alternative/shadow report to the CEDAW Committee. This document is a practical guide for NGOs reporting on women’s economic social and cultural rights within the reporting processes for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
CEDAW and Security Council Resolution 1325: A Quick Guide
This guide provides a basic introduction to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security, and reviews their commonalities, synergies, and potential strategic uses, particularly in the context of conflict and post-conflict reconstruction.
Advancing Gender Equality - Using CEDAW and UN Security Council Resolution 1325
This training module is a tool to build the capacity and awareness of gender equality advocates in government and civil society in the Southern Caucasus to advocate for and support the implementation of the Convention on the Elmination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
