Human Rights and International Law Flashcards

Grade 12 · Social Studies · Flashcards

Key terms and concepts for understanding the international human rights system and international law.

Flashcards

UDHR (1948)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights; foundational UN declaration of rights for all people; aspirational standard, not a binding treaty.

ICCPR

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966); binding treaty protecting freedom of speech, fair trial, freedom from torture, and political rights.

ICC

International Criminal Court (est. 2002 via Rome Statute); prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

ICJ

International Court of Justice; principal UN judicial organ that resolves legal disputes between states (not individuals).

Genocide

Acts committed with intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group; defined in the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Crimes Against Humanity

Widespread or systematic attacks on civilian populations; includes murder, enslavement, torture, and apartheid.

War Crimes

Serious violations of the laws of war, such as targeting civilians, torture of prisoners, and using prohibited weapons.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

2005 UN doctrine: sovereignty is not absolute — the international community must intervene when states commit or allow mass atrocities.

Non-Refoulement

Prohibition on returning refugees to countries where they face persecution; cornerstone of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Customary International Law

Binding rules that arise from consistent state practice and a sense of legal obligation, even without a written treaty.

Sovereignty

Principle that states have supreme authority within their borders; creates core tension with international human rights enforcement.

Convention Against Torture

1984 treaty establishing an absolute prohibition on torture under all circumstances; ratified by 173 countries.

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