A Synopsis: Rights, Responsibilities and Roles of Human Rights NGOs under International Law

Abstract

There is no denying that human rights NGOs play an increasingly significant role at the international scene, their contributions to the development of human rights docket (treaties, principles and standards) and active participation in the implementation of the bill of rights at national levels are testament to their ever growing importance. Yet, their position under international law is generally regarded as informal and unspecified. This article investigates the general legal status of NGOs under international law and, in particular, offers a progressive account of the rights, responsibilities and role of human rights NGOs. The article shows in the end show that while there are emerging norms on the status and roles of human rights NGOs, none, is conclusive or binding in a strict legal sense.

Keywords: Human Rights, Non governmental organisations, International law, United Nations

JEL Classification: K33, 10, K19, K30, L30