The International Law of Human Rights in Africa: Volume 1

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 set the standard for international and regional human rights instruments.* For instance, most of the provisions of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) can be traced to provisions in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Equally, both the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950) and the European Social Charter (1961) are similar in content to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights respectively. Also the American Convention on Human Rights (1969) is in important respects similar to the two International Covenants and European instruments mentioned above. Finally, on 27th June, 1981 at Nairobi, Kenya, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity adopted the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights; and this instrument was also partly inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It should however be noted, as is evidenced by some of the writing in the bibliography at the end of this book, that the idea that human beings should have certain rights had been accepted in Africa and elsewhere long before 1948. Nevertheless the scope and content of such rights varied over time and space.