ABSTRACT
Chapter 12 deals with the protection and promotion of human rights (HRs) at both universal and regional levels. It examines the main provisions of the UN Charter which constitute the foundation of modern human rights law as they “internationalise” HRs, (i.e., HRs are no longer considered to be within the exclusive jurisdiction of a State), and impose obligations on Member States to promote HRs and to co-operate with the UN, inter alia, with a view to defining and codifying those rights. It discusses the codification of fundamental HRs in the International Bill of Human Rights and other “core” HRs treaties under the auspices of the UN. It reflects upon the UN HRs enforcement machinery paying special attention to the role of the UN Human Rights Council in monitoring compliance of States with HRs obligations. It reviews regional systems for the protection and promotion of HRs, i.e., the Inter-American, the African and the European systems. It assesses the scope and efficacy of both the UN system and the regional systems.
