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.