This part explores the institutional and procedural mechanisms for the international protection of human rights. It examines the various organizations, bodies, and mechanisms that play a role in monitoring, promoting, and enforcing human rights standards. The sections cover the universal human rights system established by the United Nations, including the roles and functions of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, and specialized human rights bodies such as the Human Rights Council and treaty-based bodies. It also examines regional human rights systems in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Arab-Muslim world, highlighting the specific institutions and mechanisms established by these regions to protect human rights. Additionally, this part delves into international human rights litigation, exploring the diversity of international complaints mechanisms, the conditions of admissibility, examination procedures, and enforcement of decisions. By providing a comprehensive overview of the institutional architecture and procedural mechanisms, this part illustrates the complexity and diversity of the international human rights protection system and the importance of coordinated efforts among different actors to address human rights violations effectively.

In order to understand the key questions and issues surrounding BHR, a basic understanding of human rights more generally is necessary. Since BHR is an interdisciplinary field, it is important to gain an understanding both of the legal and non-legal dimensions of human rights. This chapter first provides a brief introduction to the philosophy of human rights and some of the key discussions that derive from this. Among them are the disputes between universalism and relativism and between foundationalist and non-foundationalist accounts of human rights. The chapter then takes a look at the main human rights bodies that institutionalize human rights in the international and regional context, paying particular attention to the United Nations’ human rights system. Finally, the chapter provides a brief introduction to international human rights law, outlining some of its key principles and instruments.