Basic Reference Document Archive
From the Humanitarian Charter:
“International Law recognizes that those affected are entitled to protection and assistance. It defines legal obligations on states or warring parties to provide such assistance or allow it to be provided, as well as to prevent and refrain from behaviour that violates fundamental human rights. These rights and obligations are contained in the body of international human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee law.”
Humanitarian workers need to have a basic understanding of these laws, and to have ready access to the actual texts for reference. For this reason, we provide the basic documents referred to in the Humanitarian Charter here, along with some additional relevant materials.
Primary instruments:
The Charter of the United Nations
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Optional Protocol 1, Covenant of Civil and Political Rights
Optional Protocol 2, Covenant of Civil and Political Rights
The International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights
Additional instruments:
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, with Additional Protocols
Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement
General Assembly Resolution 46/182, 1991, Strengthening of the coordination of emergency assistance
Codes of Conduct
Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief
The Humanitarian Charter
The Seven Fundamental Principles
The Geneva Conventions and Protocols
http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/genevaconventions
