ABSTRACT
This chapter completes the picture of the addressees of international law. Although humans are not considered full-fledged subjects of international law, an impressive number of the norms of international law concern individuals. Human rights law is an essential part of these norms and demonstrates the unique place that humans occupy under international law. The modern complex perception of human rights is the result of the collision of historical forces, the milestone documents, and the ensuing political and legal developments leading humankind to a progressive vision of (international) human rights. After the UN Charter entered into force, the Charter era regarding international law began, which, among other things, stimulated development of international human rights law and an increase in popularity of the term ‘human rights’ itself. The UN Charter affirmed the fundamental UN mission of being a promoter of ‘respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion’. This chapter reviews both the universal (global) and regional regimes of human rights and the instruments and mechanisms that build the structure of the specific regimes under consideration.
