Digital Commons Network^™

The chapter provides an overview of international human rights norms and the dynamic relationship they share with domestic laws and standards. It includes a discussion on international treaties on human rights, how a human rights standard becomes a law and how international conventions are enforced. A clarification of key concepts such as signature, ratification, accession, reservation, declaration, optional protocol, periodic reports and shadow reports help demystify legal jargon related to international human rights. The chapter includes a compilation of information on major conventions, declarations, optional protocols and principles on human rights, in a tabular format, providing the reader with a …