Chapter 4. United Nations Human Rights Treaties

Abstract

This chapter explores the contribution of the United Nations treaty bodies to the development of the legal character of international human rights, bearing in mind that the effectiveness of the contribution of these bodies in this regard is rooted beyond the mere fact of interacting with a large body of actors. With an illustrative focus on the scope of States' legal obligations under the UN human rights treaties alongside assessments of the treaty guarantees to effective remedy and the relationship between international human rights standards and cultural diversity - this chapter analyses the approach adopted by the UN treaty bodies to the interpretation of the provisions of the relevant treaties. It also undertakes a selective and illustrative analysis of some themes of law in the UN human rights treaties.Keywords: cultural diversity; human rights treaties; international human rights; United Nations