To aid the democracy dialogue, the Institute presents this easily accessible library of basic documents upon which democracy programs are based.

International Human Rights Instruments

Regional Instruments

Useful Websites with Key Human Rights Instrument Documents

International Human Rights Instruments

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

• Convention on the Political Rights of Women

• UN Convention Against Corruption

• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• International Treaty for Children’s Rights

• Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers

• Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations and Code of Conduct for Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers and Monitors

• Anti-Corruption Plain Language Guide

Regional Instruments

African Union

• African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights

• Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

• African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance

• Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 32nd Session

• African Charter for Popular Participation in Development and Transformation (ARUSHA 1990)

Council of Europe

• European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

• Protocol (No. 1) to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

• European Charter of Local Self-Government

• Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters (Venice Commission)

• Recommendation Rec (2004)11 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on Legal, Operational and Technical Standards for E-voting

European Union

• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Commitments

• Document of the 1990 Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension (Copenhagen Document of the OSCE)

Organization of American States

• American Convention on Human Rights

• American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man

• Inter-American Democratic Charter

• Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women

• Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression

Useful Websites with Key Human Rights Instrument Documents

• University of Minnesota Human Rights Library

• Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights