Links to Human Rights 
and Social Justice Charters

• Early Political and Civic Advancements
  
• Human and Civil Rights Charters
  
• Torture and Genocide
• Children's Rights and Protections
• Women's Rights
• Anti-Racism, Apartheid, Discrimination
• Slavery and Forced Labor
• Forced Conscription
• Prisoners and Detainees
• Geneva Conventions
• World Court and War Crimes
  
• Environment and Sustainability
• Poverty and Opportunity
• Anti-Corruption
• Internet Access and Freedom

Sample Innovative Charters

charter_for_compassion.pdf
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declaration_on_social_progress.pdf
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wmw_global_charter.pdf
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the_dallas_principles.pdf
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barcelona_manifesto.pdf
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Key Database 
Sources

• The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School
  
• Southern Freedom Movement Web Links
  
• International Human Rights Instruments (University of Minnesota)
  
• A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation (Law Library of Congress)

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Early Political and
Civic Advancements

• Magna Carta [England - 1215]
• English Bill of Rights: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and Settling the Succession of the Crown (Bill of Rights) [England - 1689]
• United States Constitution
• United States Bill of Rights [U.S. Constitution amendments I-X.]
• The complete text of the original Bill of Rights
• The complete text of the present Bill of Rights
• All Amendments to the United States Constitution
• Common Sense, Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776).
• Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln, A Proclamation (Jan. 1, 1863)
• The Bill of Rights, a Summary: Introduction to the Foundation of Human Rights 
  From U.S. Dept. of Immigration
  

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Human and Civil
Rights Charters
Anti-Torture

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Universal Human Rights in Progressive Thought and Politics. Part Four of the Progressive Tradition Series. 
John Halpin, William Schulz, and Sarah Dreier. Center for American Progress. 
October 2010

universal_human_rights_history.pdf
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• U.N. CHARTER: June 26, 1945. Entered into force Oct. 24, 1945. 
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948
• Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment: 1975
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Entered into force: Mar. 23, 1976.

• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: (1966) Entered into force: Jan. 3, 1976.

• Protection From Torture, Ill-Treatment and Disappearance 
  
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment: 1987

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• Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action: Adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, 25 June 1993
  

vienna_declaration.pdf
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Children's Rights
and Protections

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rights_of_children_overview.pdf
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• Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924:  

        Adopted Sept. 26, 1924, League of Nations 

• Declaration of the Rights of the Child: Adopted 1959

• Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 

• Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (ILO No. 182) Adopted 2000

• UNICEF Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of Children Victims Trafficking in Southeastern Europe 2003

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Women's Rights

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beijing_platform_for_action.pdf
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• Convention on the Political Rights of Women: 1954
  
• Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict: 1974
  
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: 1981
  
• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women: 1993
  
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: 2000
• Women's United Nations Report Program & Network (WUNRN) is a non-governmental coalition to implement the conclusions and recommendations of a United Nations Study on Freedom of Religion of Belief and the Status of Women From the Viewpoint of Religion and Traditions   
  

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Anti-Racism and Discrimination

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brussels_declaration.pdf
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• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Entered into force Jan. 4, 1969
• International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid: 1976
• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief: 1981
• Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice: 1982
• Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities: 1993
• Declaration of Principles on Tolerance:  UNESCO: 1995

• World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance: Adopted on September 8, 2001 in Durban South Africa
• NEW YORK: 22 Sep 2011 UN summit marks 10th anniversary of racism declaration
  

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Slavery
Forced Labor

• Slavery, Servitude, Forced Labour and Similar Institutions and Practices Convention of 1926 (Slavery Convention of 1926), March 9, 1927. 
• International Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women of Full Age, entered into force Aug. 24, 1934.
• Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, entered into force Dec.25, 2003.
  
• Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour (ILO No. 29), entered into force May 1, 1932.

• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (ILO No. 105), entered into force Jan. 17, 1959.
• Guide to the New UN Trafficking Protocol
  
• Guide to the UN Convention of 2 December 1949 for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons
• 1949 Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others
  

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Prisoners 
and Detainees

• Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Adopted Aug. 30, 1955
  
• Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment: 1988
  
• Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners
  

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Geneva 
Conventions 

• 1864 - Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded on the Field of Battle 

• 1928 - Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating Gas, and for Bacteriological Methods of Warfare 

• 1929 - Convention Between the United States of America and Other Powers, Relating to Prisoners of War 

• 1949 - Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field 

• 1949 - Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea 

• 1949 - Convention (III) Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War 

• 1949 - Convention (IV) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War 

• 1975 - Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (1972) 

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World Court
and War Crimes

• Convention with Respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land: (Hague, II) Adopted September 4, 1900.
• Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land: (Hague IV) Adopted January 26, 1910.
• Nuremberg Rules, in Agreement for the Prosecution and Punishment of the Major War Criminals of the European Axis: Adopted Aug. 8, 1945.
  

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Poverty and
Economic Opportunity

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un_millennium_declaration.pdf
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• Employment Policy Convention (ILO No. 122), entered into force July 9, 1965.
• Convention concerning the Promotion of Collective Bargaining (ILO No. 154), entered into force Aug. 11, 1983.
• Convention concerning Occupational Safety and Health and the Working Environment (ILO No. 155), entered into force Aug. 11, 1983.
• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, entered into force July 1, 2003. 
  
• Convention concerning Minimum Wage Fixing, with Special Reference to Developing Countries (ILO No. 131), entered into force April 29, 1972.
  
• Recommendation concerning Minimum Wage Fixing, with Special Reference to Developing Countries  June 22, 1970.
  
• Convention concerning the Protection of Wages (ILO No. 95), entered into force September 24, 1952.
  
• ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, 
  June 18, 1998
  
• Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition, adopted by the World Food Conference, Rome, (1974).
  
• Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security, Report of the 30th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), Annex 1 (2004). 
  
• The Practice of Forced Evictions: Comprehensive Human Rights Guidelines On Development-Based Displacement, adopted by the Expert Seminar on the Practice of Forced Evictions, Geneva, 11-13 June 1997.
  
• A Human Rights Approach to Poverty Reduction Strategies: Draft Guidelines, 
  10 September 2002.
  

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 Environment 
and Sustainability

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multinational_environment_agreements.pdf
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earth_charter.pdf
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scotland-charter_for_sustainable_development.pdf
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melborne_sustainable_cities.pdf
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equator_principles.pdf
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hannover_principles.pdf
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• Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, 1972
• Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development June 1987
• United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
• Agenda 21
• United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) December 1992  implementing a recommendation in Chapter 38 of Agenda 21 
• United Nations Conference on Environment & Development / Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro. June 1992 
• Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development, International Conference on Water and the Environment: Development Issues for the 21st Century, Dublin, Ireland (1992).
  
• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1998, entered into force Feb. 16, 2005.
  
• Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters, June 25, 1998, entered into force Oct. 30, 2001.
  
• The Need to Ensure a Healthy Environment for the Well-Being of Individuals, 
  (1990).
  
• Open-Ended Working Group on an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Draft Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, (Apr. 4, 2008).
• Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
  
• World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, August/September 2002
• Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development
• Commission on Sustainable Development
• UN DESA - Division for Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Development Issues Network
• Stakeholder Forum

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Internet Access 
and Freedom

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charter-human_rights_for_the_internet.pdf
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• Article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.