Overview of International Human Rights Mechanisms

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of international human rights mechanisms, which deal inter alia with issues related to freedom of religion or belief, notably the Charter-based Bodies and Treaty-based Bodies. Thus there are pertinent links to freedom of religion or belief in the mandates of the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Commission on Human Rights, its Sub-Commission, Special Procedures, Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Treaty Bodies, High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. In addition to these United Nations human rights mechanisms, also regional organizations have created their own regional human rights bodies, which inter alia deal with freedom of religion or belief. However, the standards and objectives of the regional human rights bodies in Europe, the Americas, Africa, South East Asia, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation sometimes differ markedly from the universal human rights instruments and mechanisms.