Public international law governs relationships between national governments and/or intergovernmental organizations. For more detailed guidance on how to research international human rights law, please see our International Human Rights Law Research Guide.
The United Nations is the largest intergovernmental organization with 193 member states. The UN human rights system develops, monitors, and protects human rights around the world.
A few key UN resources are linked below, but please see the United Nations section of the International Human Rights Law Research Guide for much more detailed coverage of the UN human rights system.
The African Union consists of 55 member states located on the African continent. The AU, officially launched in July 2002, is the successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (1963 - 1999).
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Banjul Charter) promotes and protects human rights and basic freedoms on the African continent. This charter was adopted on 1 June 1981 and entered into force on 21 October 1986.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights by
The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) is the principle regional human rights treaty for the African continent. Adopted in 1981, there is now a significant body of jurisprudence and interpretation by its African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the recentlyestablished African Court.This volume provides a comprehensive article-by-article legal analysis of the provisions of the Charter as it draws upon the documents adopted by the African Commission, including resolutions, case law, and concluding observations. Where relevant, case law adopted by the African Court on Human andPeoples' Rights, and that of other sub-regional courts and tribunals and domestic courts in Africa, are also incorporated.The book examines not only the substantive rights in the African Charter but also the work of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and provides a full examination of its mandate. A critical analysis of each of the provisions of the ACHPR is led principally by the jurisprudence anddocumentation of the African Commission and African Court. The text also identifies the overall development of the ACHPR within the broader regional and international human rights legal arena.
Full-text copies and status information for other OAU/AU treaties are available at African Union - OAU/AU Treaties, Conventions, Protocols & Charters.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights interpret and apply the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other African regional human rights instruments. For guidance on how to find jurisprudence from the African human rights system, please see the African System section of the International Human Rights Law Research Guide.