International & Regional Instruments & Mechanisms is a sub-theme of Human Rights and provides information on International & Regional Instruments & Mechanisms relevant to women and the women, peace and security agenda.

 
There are many international and regional human rights instruments and many different mechanisms established to protect and promote human rights. Many of these are relevant to conflict and post-conflict environments and to the women, peace and security agenda. Furthermore, countries that have emerged from conflict often seek to ensure that violations of human rights committed during conflict are addressed. In addition there is a pressure on new post-conflict governments to commit to international and regional human rights standards and to set up mechanisms and institutions at the national level to ensure that human rights are respected in the future.

A note on International human rights instruments:

• Legally binding and non-legally binding: declarations, adopted by bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly, are not legally binding; however conventions are legally binding instruments concluded under international law.
• Global and regional: global instruments allow any state in the world to be a party, and regional instruments are restricted to states in a particular region of the world.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are often referred to as the international bill of rights.