International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Contents Foreword iii Acknowledgements iv List of key abbreviations v Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: What are human rights? 5 Chapter 3: What is international human rights law? 9 Chapter 4: The United Nations charter-based system: An overview 19 Chapter 5: Human Rights Council 27 Chapter 6: Universal Periodic Review 37 Chapter 7: Special procedures 47 Chapter 8: Other permanent mechanisms of the Human Rights Council 55 Chapter 9: Ad hoc mechanisms of the Human Rights Council 60 Chapter 10: The treaty-based system: An overview 63 Chapter 11: Treaty monitoring bodies: Monitoring compliance 70 Chapter 12: Treaty monitoring bodies: Interpreting treaties 83 Chapter 13: International complaint procedures 85 Chapter 14: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 95 Chapter 15: Regional human rights mechanisms 99 Chapter 16: Mechanisms for international cooperation among national human rights institutions 104 i