Human Rights Milestones in the 20th Century

June 26,1945 Signing of the Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice, in San Francisco.

June 21,1946 Establishment of the Commission on Human Rights under Economic and Social Council resolution 9 (II). At its first session, in 1947, the Commission establishes the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities on the basis of that resolution.

June 21,1946 Establishment of the Commission on the Status of Women under resolution 11 (II) of the Economic and Social Council.

December 9,1948 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

December 10,1948 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

December 2,1949 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others.

November 4,1950 Adoption by the members of the Council of Europe of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (European Convention on Human Rights).

December 1,1950Creation of the Committee on Crime Prevention and Control under General Assembly resolution 415 (V). The Committee is responsible for preparing the United Nations Congresses on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. It is institutionalized in the form of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice by the Economic and Social Council on 6 February 1992.

July 28,1951 Adoption by a United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

December 20,1952 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women.

October 23,1953 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Protocol amending the Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926.

September 28, 1954 Adoption by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

August 30,1955 Adoption by the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

September 7,1956 Adoption by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery.

January 29,1957 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women.

June 25,1957 Adoption by the General Conference of the International Labour Organization of the Convention on the Abolition of Forced Labour.

July 30,1959 Adoption by the Economic and Social Council of resolution 728 F (XXVIII), giving the Commission on Human Rights certain responsibilities with regard to the treatment of communications dealing with human rights.

November 20,1959 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

December 14,1960 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

August 30,1961 Adoption by a Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

November 7,1962 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages.

December 14,1962 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 1803 (XVII) on permanent sovereignty over natural resources.

November 20,1963 Adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

December 21,1965 Adoption by the General Assembly of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This Convention provides for the establishment of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

December 16,1966 Adoption by the General Assembly of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the corresponding Optional Protocol. This Covenant provides for the establishment of the Human Rights Committee.

June 6,1967 Adoption by the Economic and Social Council of resolution 1235 (XLII) authorizing the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to examine information relevant to gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

November 7,1967 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

May 13,1968 Proclamation by the International Conference on Human Rights of the Proclamation of Teheran.

November 26,1968 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes against Humanity.

November 22,1969 Adoption of the American Convention on Human Rights.

December 11,1969 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on Social Progress and Development.

May 27,1970 Adoption by the Economic and Social Council of resolution 1503 (XLVIII), establishing procedures allowing the Commission on Human Rights and the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities to hold private meetings to consider communications relating to violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

August 13,1971 Adoption by the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities of resolution 1 (XXIV), concerning procedures for the implementation of Economic and Social Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII).

November 30, 1973 Adoption by the General Assembly of the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Group of Three, which is to monitor its implementation.

December 9,1975 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

June 8,1977 Adoption by the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law applicable in Armed Conflicts of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II).

November 27, 1978 Adoption by the General Conference at UNESCO of the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice.

December 17, 1979 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.

December 18,1979 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

June 27,1981Adoption of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, by the Eighteenth Conference ofHeads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity.

November 25,1981 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

May 25,1984 Approval by the Economic and Social Council of the Safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.

November 12,1984 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace.

December 10,1984 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Committee against Torture.

May 28,1985 Adoption by the Economic and Social Council of resolution 1985/17 establishing the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, responsible for monitoring the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

November 29,1985 Adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Standards Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules).

November 29,1985 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

November 29,1985 Adoption by the Seventh United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders of the Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary.

December 10,1985 Adoption by the General Assembly of the International Convention against Apartheid in Sports. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Commission against Apartheid in Sports.

December 13,1985 Adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution on the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women.

December 4,1986 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Right to Development.

December 9,1988 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment.

May 24,1989 Adoption by the Economic and Social Council of the Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal Arbitrary and Summary Executions.

November 20,1989 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

December 15,1989 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. The Human Rights Committee is the monitoring body for the Protocol.

September 7,1990 Adoption by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders of the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

September 7,1990 Adoption by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders of the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.

September 7,1990 Adoption by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders of the Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors.

September 30,1990 Adoption by the World Summit for Children of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and of the Plan of Action for Implementing the World Declaration.

December 14,1990 Adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non- custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules); Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners; the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines) and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty.

December 18,1990 Adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution deciding to convene a World Conference on Human Rights in 1993.

December 18,1990 Adoption by the General Assembly of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. The Convention provides for the establishment of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

May 20,1991 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution establishing the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL).

April 7,1992 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution deciding to deploy the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the former Yugoslavia.

May 30,1992 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution demanding that the parties to the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina allow the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian supplies.

September 14,1992 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution authorizing the enlargement of the mandate of UNPROFOR.

November 16,1992 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution condemning "ethnic cleansing" in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

December 18,1992 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution demanding that the detention camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be closed.

December 18,1992 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

December 18,1992 Adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

February 22,1993 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution establishing an International Tribunal for the prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991.

April 20,1993 Adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution authorizing the participation of the United Nations jointly with the Organization of American States in an International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH).

May 25,1993 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution adopting the statute of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991.

June 14,1993 The Secretary-General, at the opening of the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, describes human rights as "the quintessential values through which we affirm together that we are a single human community" (statement).

June 25,1993 Adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action at the closing of the World Conference on Human Rights.

December 20,1993 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 48/104, proclaiming the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

December 20,1993 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 48/91, proclaiming the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination.

December 20,1993 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 48/163, proclaiming the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

December 20,1993 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 48/141, establishing the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

February 23,1994 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution establishing the civil police component of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ).

April 5,1994 Mr. José Ayala-Lasso of Ecuador assumes the post of the (first) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

July 1,1994 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution establishing a Commission of Experts to investigate violations of human rights in Rwanda.

September 19,1994 Adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution establishing the United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala (MINUGUA)

September 23,1994 Adoption by the Security Council of a resolution re-emphasizing that "ethnic cleansing" constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

November 8,1994 Adoption by the Security Council of resolution 955 (1994), establishing an International Tribunal for Rwanda.

December 23,1994 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 49/184, proclaiming the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education.

March 3,1995 Adoption by the Commission on Human Rights of a resolution establishing a working group to elaborate a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous people (resolution 1995/32).

September 12,1997 Mrs. Mary Robinson of Ireland assumes the post of the (second) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights after her predecessor, Mr. Ayala-Lasso of Ecuador, resigned, on 15 March 1997, following his appointment as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador.

July 17,1998 The Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries adopts the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, establishing the International Criminal Court, with its seat at The Hague.

October 22,1998 The Secretary-General appoints Bertie Gangapersaud Ramcharan of Guyana as the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights effective 1 December 1998, following the resignation of Mr. Enrique ter Horst of Venezuela.

December 9,1998 Adoption by the General Assembly of resolution A/RES/53/144 proclaiming the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

December 10,1998 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

urtesy: United Nations; UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva; Human Rights Centre, University of Essex, United Kingdom.