Protection of Human Rights at The International Level: The Role of The Human Rights Committee

Abstract

The United Nations, as a guardian of peace and security in the world, from the moment of its inception, has been involved in promoting and protecting human rights. Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the General Assembly in 1948, and the process of drafting the International Bill of Human Rights was completed by 1966, the international human rights treaty system has continued to strengthen with the adoption of new instruments and the establishment of UN treaty bodies which fulfill a unique function in the global human rights system. This paper stresses that observed from a historical perspective, the establishment of instruments and bodies whose main purpose was the protection of human rights brought numerous advantages in the international system of human rights protection, but at the same time has predicted various challenges when implementing protection on a practical level in certain areas that were of special interest to the international community. Taking into account the facts that the UN Human Rights Committee is an independent expert body that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rigs by its States Parties, and that it is known for its impartial, credible, and comprehensive expert presentation of the content of the said Covenant, this paper will discuss the results of the activities of the Committee from the perspective of its functions and the legitimacy of its decisions, as well as of its effectiveness in ensuring the respect, protection, and promotion of human rights at the international level.