About the Lawcards Series
Human Rights Lawcards Glossary
Click on the glossary term to see the definition
- ACCESSION
- a state accepts a treaty but did not necessarily participate in its negotiation.
- ADOPTION
- the initial stage at which a treaty is accepted notes that, post adoption, the legislature of the state must usually ratify the treaty in order for it to become effective.
- ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- the preconditions which an individual or group of individuals must satisfy in order to present a claim in a human rights court.
- CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS
- founding documentation of the United Nations following the Second World War, binding on members.
- COUNCIL OF EUROPE
- European organisation for cooperation on political, social and economic matters. Should not be confused with the European Union.
- DEROGATION
- certain human rights are considered as absolute, however states may suspend certain rights in particular circumstances, usually given within the schedule of the treaty.
- ENTERED INTO FORCE
- the date when a treaty becomes effective and enforceable.
- EQUALITY
- the concept that all human beings are created equal and are therefore entitled to equal human rights.
- EUROPEAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
- (ECHR) document setting out the human rights of the citizens of the states who sign the convention, undertaken by the Council of Europe.
- EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
- (ECtHR) court established by the ECHR specifically to consider alleged violations of human rights, enumerated in the ECHR. Should not be confused with the European Court of Justice.
- EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE
- (ECJ) Supreme Court of the European Union
- EXHAUSTION REQUIREMENT
- obligation that persons bringing a human rights claim must initially exhaust domestic judicial remedies.
- GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS
- the body of the United Nations which consists of all member states.
- HUMAN RIGHTS
- the rights given to persons by reason of their humanity, irrespective of individual characteristics.
- INALIENABILITY
- the belief that human rights are, by their very nature, universal and cannot therefore be violated or removed by the state.
- MARGIN OF APPRECIATION
- the concept by the court of a degree of latitude being accepted by individual states with regard to, usually, social or cultural mores.
- MEMBER STATES
- of specific international bodies, usually designated by treaty or convention.
- NON-DISCRIMINATION
- principle that state should not treat its citizens differently or arbitrarily, usually based on antidiscrimination legislation by the state itself.
- PROTOCOL
- a supplement to a treaty whereby the parties may sign up to additional obligations than those contained in the main body of the treaty.
- RATIFICATION
- formal procedure where a state confirms an international treaty as being binding upon it.
- RESERVATION
- a specific exception that a state makes to a treaty, this may be permanent or in order to deal with specific national issues on a temporary basis.
- SECURITY COUNCIL
- a body composed of both permanent and non-permanent members collected by the General Assembly with the aim of bringing about negotiated resolution of disputes.
- UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
- (UDHR) seminal United Nations document which established a non-binding framework of human rights in 1948.