The International Bill of Human rights is majorly composed of the Universal declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), The International Covenant on Economic; social and cultural Rights (ICESCR) International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The 1945 San Francisco Conference held to draft the Un Charter embodied the declaration on the essential rights of man. It reiterates that the promotion and encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of race, sex, language or religion is vital.

The UDHR which is a measure of the degree of respect and compliance with international human rights standards was proclaimed and would enrich UN Declaration and a fundamental source of inspiration for national and international endeavors to promote, protect and recognize human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The UDHR is also a base for direction to Human rights work with a provision for philosophy for international instruments designed to protect the rights and freedoms of which it proclaims. The 1968 Iran Conference commended that the UDHR proclaims a common understanding globally concerning the rights of all members of the human family and constitute obligations for the members of the international covenants on human Rights recalls the obligation of states under the Charter of the United nations to promote Human Rights and Reminds the Individual of this responsibility for the promotion and observance of those rights and recognize it in accordance to the UDHR the Ideals of enjoying civil and political freedom from fear and want which is achievable if every one enjoys his/her civil and political rights as well as his economic social and cultural rights.

Article 1 of the Covenant states that the right to self determination is universal and calls upon states to promote the realization of that right and respect it. The proceedings provide that all peoples have the right of self determination and by virtue of that right they freely pursue their economic. Social and cultural development.

Article 3 of the International Covenant on Human and Rights affirms the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all human rights and enjoins states to make that principle in practice.

Article 5 provides safeguards against the destruction or undue limitation of any human right or fundamental freedom and against misinterpretation of any provision of the covenant as a means of justifying infringement of a right or freedom or its restriction.

Article 6-15 of the International Covenant on economic , social and cultural rights recognizes the right to work, to the enjoyment of just and favorable conditions of work; to form and join Unions, to social security, including social insurance to the widest possible protection and assistance for the family especially mothers, children and young persons; to an adequate standard of living; to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; to education and to take part in cultural life.

Articles 6-27 of the International covenant on Civil and political rights seeks to protect the right to life and lays out that no one is to be subjected to torture or cruel inhumane or degrading treatment; no one shall be held in slavery and servitude; slavery and slave trade must be prohibited; no one will be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. The article also decries that all persons deprived of their liberty are to be treated with humanity and no one will be imprisoned on the ground of inability to fulfill a contractual obligation.

The covenant on Civil and Political rights further freedom of movement and freedom to choose residents, it emphasizes the equality of all persons before the courts tribunals and for guarantees in criminal and civil proceedings; it prohibits retroactive criminal legislation; it supports the right of every one’s recognition as a person before the law.

The covenant advocates for the prohibition of arbitrary or unlawful interference with an individual’s privacy, family, home or correspondences and unlawful attacks on his honor and reputation, it provides for the projection of the rights to freedom of thought and expression; it also calls for the prohibition by law of any propaganda for war and of any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

It honor the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of association, also the right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and form a family; and the principle of equality of rights and the principle of equality of rights and responsibility of spouses as to marriage, during their marriage and its dissolution. It protects the right of children and recoghonorright of every citizen to take part in the conduct of public affairs; to vote or be elected and to have access on general terms of equality to public service in his country.

The covenant also has a provision that all persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law; it calls for the rights of the ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities in the territories of state parties.

Lastly the covenant has provided for the establishment of a human Rights Committee responsible for supervising the implementation of the rights set out in the covenant.

The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights affirms that the exercise of a person’s rights and freedoms may be subjected to certain limitations which may be determined by law; for the purpose of securing due recognition of the rights and freedoms of others and of requirement of morality, public order and the general welfare in democratic society.

The International Covenant on Economic, social and Cultural rights states that the rights provided may be limited by law, but only in so far as is compatible with nature of the rights and to promote general welfare in a democratic society. While international covenant of Civil and Political rights contain no general provision applicable to all the rights provided for in the Covenant authorizing restriction on the exercise. Except that the rights dealt with shall not be subject to any restriction except those which are presented by law and are necessary to protect national security.

Certain rights therefore may never be suspended or limited even in emergence situations. These are the rights to life, to freedom from torture, to freedom from enslavement or servitude; to protection from imprisonment for debt, to freedom from retroactive penal laws, to recognition as a person before the law and to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

The covenant may also limit the enjoyment of certain rights in cases of officially proclaimed public emergency which threatens the life of the nation.

INSIDE:

Life in the Sudanese Refugee Camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Conditions in the War Torn Areas of Yei in Sudan

Plight of the Disabled in War Torn Areas of Sudan

Prisoners of war in the War Torn Areas of Yei

Repeated Attacks Make Adjumani Refugee Camp Insecure

The Role of Civil Society in Conflict Resolution

The Sudan Conflict: The Causes and the Attempts at Resolution

Famine Ravages South Sudan

A Standard of Achievement For all People to Aspire For Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The International Bill of Human Rights

SHRA ORGANISES A PERSONNEL TRAINING SEMINAR

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The Sudan Monitor is published by:

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