ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the United Nations (UN) global human rights system. It begins by considering the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the key treaties and covenants within the UN human rights system before giving a short overview of the ongoing development of the system. It covers the right to health and guidance on how this is to be interpreted, and examines the considerable overlap between the social determinants of health and human rights. This chapter then discusses government responsibilities to respect, protect, and fulfil rights, and considers how global monitoring and reporting systems assist in holding governments to account for progress in realising human rights. The chapter concludes by examining some of the key debates surrounding the global system. This chapter includes a discussion of human rights and the role of the UN, the workings of the UN, the development and workings of the UDHR, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and it will provide an overview of government roles and responsibilities and global monitoring systems.
