The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted ten years ago, on 20 November 1989, by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It entered into force on 2 September 1990. At present, 191 States have ratified or acceded to this Convention, which makes it the most widely accepted human rights treaty ever. Under article 44 of the Convention, each State party has to submit an initial report within two years of the entry into force of the Convention for that State and thereafter a periodic report every five years. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has been formed to monitor the...

The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted on 10 December 1984, by the General Assembly of the United Nations. It entered into force on 26 June 1987. 118 States have ratified or acceded to this Convention. Under article 19 of the Convention, each State party has to submit an initial report within one year of the entry into force of the Convention for that State and thereafter a supplementary report (periodic report) every four years. The Committee Against Torture has been formed to monitor the implementation of the Convention. At...

Thirty-five years ago, on 16 December 1966, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted without a vote the two International Covenants on Human Rights. Together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Cove-nant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including its two Optional Protocols, form what is often referred to as the International Bill of Human Rights. Both Covenants entered into force ten years later. At present, 145 States have ratified or acceded to the Interna-tional Covenant on...