International Human Rights Treaties at a Glance: A CSE Reference
The UN Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights and the main treaties on women, children, torture, disability, refugees and genocide, with memory tips.
By the World MCQ Forum Philippines Editorial Team · 3 November 2026 · 4 min read
The Peace and Human Rights area of the Civil Service Exam reaches beyond Philippine laws to the international system that protects human rights. Questions usually ask for a treaty’s year, the group it protects, or the UN body involved. This reference organises the essentials so you can learn them as a connected story rather than a list of dates.
The foundation: the United Nations
The Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco on 26 June 1945 and came into force on 24 October 1945, now observed as United Nations Day. The Philippines was among the founding members, and Carlos P. Romulo, who signed the Charter for the country, later became the first Asian President of the UN General Assembly (1949).
The International Bill of Human Rights
Three documents together form the “International Bill of Human Rights”:
| Document | Year | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) | 1948 | Sets out the basic rights of every person |
| International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) | 1966 | Binding treaty on rights such as life, liberty, fair trial and free expression |
| International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) | 1966 | Binding treaty on rights such as work, education, health and an adequate standard of living |
The UDHR was adopted on 10 December 1948, which is why Human Rights Day is 10 December. The two Covenants were adopted on 16 December 1966 and turned the UDHR’s principles into legally binding obligations for the states that ratify them.
Link to the Constitution: the ICCPR’s rights closely match Article III, the Bill of Rights. The ICESCR’s rights match the social justice provisions in Article XIII.
Treaties for specific groups and harms
| Treaty | Year | Protects or prohibits | Philippine link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genocide Convention | 1948 | Prevents and punishes genocide | RA 9851 (2009) |
| Refugee Convention | 1951 | Protects people fleeing persecution | Non-refoulement principle |
| CEDAW | 1979 | Eliminates discrimination against women | Magna Carta of Women, RA 9710 |
| Convention against Torture | 1984 | Prohibits torture and cruel treatment | Anti-Torture Act, RA 9745 |
| Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) | 1989 | Protects the rights of children | RA 7610 and other child protection laws |
| Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | 2006 | Equal rights of persons with disabilities | Accessibility and disability laws |
Memory tips:
- 1948 is the “foundation year”: the Genocide Convention (9 December) and the UDHR (10 December) were adopted a day apart.
- CRC on 20 November 1989: 20 November is now World Children’s Day. The CRC defines a child as anyone below 18.
- CEDAW is often called the “international bill of rights for women”.
Refugees and non-refoulement
The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone who has fled their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. Its core principle is non-refoulement: refugees must not be returned to a place where they would face serious threats to their life or freedom.
Courts and councils
It is easy to confuse the international bodies, so learn them as pairs:
| Body | Seat | Role |
|---|---|---|
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) | The Hague | Settles disputes between states; principal judicial organ of the UN |
| International Criminal Court (ICC) | The Hague | Tries individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression |
| UN Human Rights Council | Geneva | Reviews human rights in every UN member through the Universal Periodic Review |
The ICC was created by the Rome Statute of 1998. The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, with effect from 17 March 2019. The Human Rights Council was created in 2006 to replace the former UN Commission on Human Rights.
UN agencies often asked
- UNICEF: children’s rights and well-being
- UNHCR: refugees, displaced and stateless people
- ILO: international labour standards and decent work (founded 1919)
- UNESCO: education, science and culture
- WHO: international public health
Important dates in one list
| Date | Observance |
|---|---|
| 21 September | International Day of Peace |
| 24 October | United Nations Day |
| 20 November | World Children’s Day |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day |
How to study this topic
- Learn the International Bill of Human Rights first, since everything else builds on it.
- Learn each treaty with one year and one protected group, then link it to its Philippine law.
- Separate the courts: ICJ for states, ICC for individuals.
- Test yourself with our international human rights and UN questions, then the Philippine peace and human rights set.
International law changes slowly, but states sign, ratify and withdraw from treaties over time. For current status, check the official UN treaty records.