The effectiveness of European social charter and inter-American human rights systems : enforcement mechanisms and obstacles : an analytical study

Abstract EN

Regional human rights systems, consisting of regional instruments and mechanisms, play an important role in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Regional human rights instruments such as treaties, conventions and declarations; help to localise international human rights norms and standards, reflecting the particular human rights concerns of the region.

Regional human rights mechanisms for instance commissions, special rapporteurs and courts; then help to implement these instruments on the ground.

Despite, adopting many human rights conventions and treaties as well as establishing several human rights committees and organizations, still more to be done and there is desperate need for effective regional human rights system that promote and protect human rights and prevent grave braches of human rights in the regional level.

To this end, the European countries formed the Council of Europe while, in the American continent the Organization of American States (OAS) was established.

One of the most important aims of the Council of Europe and the OAS is the protection of human rights by addressing international human rights norms and standards on the targeted region.

Consequently, several conventions and instruments have been adopted in Europe and American continents, such as the European Social Charter, the Revised Charter, the European Convention of Human Rights, the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention of Human Rights.

This research will address the effectiveness of the regional human rights in particular the European Social Charter and Inter-American Human Rights Systems in protecting and promoting human rights by evaluating their enforcement mechanisms and standards.

Each system will be assessed and evaluated as well as addressing their obstacles and challenges.