Towards Minimum Standards for Regional Human Rights Systems

Abstract:     
The last few years have seen an increased number of inter-governmental organisatons establishing institutions with a mandate to promote and protect human rights. The article first sets out to establish some of the common features of the structural make-up of the three established regional human rights systems in the Americas, Europe and Africa. Based on the findings of this inquiry guidelines for regional inter-governmental organisations and their human rights mechanisms are proposed.

The Terms of Reference of the recently established ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the mechanisms established under the Arab Charter on Human Rights are considered in the light of the proposed guidelines. The article further explores developments in respect of some other regional and sub-regional human rights initiatives.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 45

Keywords: human rights, monitoring, regional

Accepted Paper Series