Documents
The U.S. Dept. of State publishes multiple overviews and documents, including
- Trafficking in Persons Report Assesses governments on their efforts to combat trafficking in persons as defined in the UN Trafficking Protocol, including conduct involved in forced labor and trafficking of adults and children for commercial sexual exploitation.
- International Religious Freedom Reports Describe the status of religious freedom, government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies promoting religious freedom.
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United States Universal Periodic Review Provides a partial snapshot of the current human rights situation in the United States, shares some recent progress, and explores opportunities to make further progress.
- Key International Human Rights Documents(from HumanRights.gov)
A sampling of documents from the site:
- Slavery Convention (or the Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery) Date: September 25, 1926 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, March 2, 1929.
- Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Date: December 9, 1948. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, February 23, 1989.
- Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women Date: May 2, 1948. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, May 24, 1976.
- Protocol Amending the Slavery Convention Date: December 7, 1953. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, March 7, 1956.
- Convention on the Political Rights of Women Date: March 31, 1953 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, July 7, 1976.
- Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery Date: September 7, 1956 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, December 6, 1967.
- Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees Date: January 31, 1967 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, November 1, 1968.
- Abolition of Forced Labor Convention Date: June 25, 1957. U.S. Action: Ratified tand entered into force, September 25, 1991.
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Date: December 21, 1965. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, November 20, 1994.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Date: December 16, 1966. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, September 8, 1992.
- International Convention against the Taking of Hostages Date: December 17, 1979. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, December 7, 1984.
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Date: December 10, 1984. U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, November 20, 1994.
- Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict Date: May 25, 2000 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, January 23, 2003.
- Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography Date: May 25, 2000 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, January 23, 2003.
- Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor Date: June 17, 1999 U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, December 2, 1999.
- Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol) Date: November 15, 2000U.S. Action: Ratified and entered into force, November 3, 2005.
