International Treaties
Universal and inalienable rights
On December 10, 1948, the 58 Member States in the General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The General Assembly of the United Nations proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction. The principle of the universality of human rights is the cornerstone of international human rights law. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Non-discrimination, proclaimed in Article 2, guarantees this equality. Non-discrimination permeates all international human rights law. The principle is present in all major human rights treaties. It is also the central theme of two core instruments, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
Women's place in development issues
Gender equality is an international right recognized by the United Nations. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, it is also a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. The 2030 Sustainable Development Flagship and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which world leaders adopted in 2015, provide a roadmap for progress that is sustainable and leaves no one behind. Gender equality is listed as a specific goal under SDG #5 Achieving gender equality and empowering women is integral to each of the 17 Goals. Indeed, women face specific discriminations, inequalities and violence that represent obstacles to sustainable development. Gender mainstreaming in the Sustainable Development Goals should allow the inclusion of women as key actors.
The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
The Global Compact for Migration represents a historic opportunity to improve international cooperation on migration and strengthen how migrants and migration contribute to sustainable development. Adopted on 19 December 2018 in its resolution 73/195 by the United Nations General Assembly, the Global Compact for Migration aims to contribute to migration management that respects human rights by taking into account the rights of migrants. Non-legally binding, it is based on values such as State sovereignty, shared responsibility, non-discrimination and human rights, and recognizes the need for a cooperative approach to optimize the global benefits of migration, while taking into account the risks and challenges faced by migrants and communities in countries of origin, transit or destination.
The video allows us to conclude with the idea that although it is currently difficult to measure migrants' rights in practice, the inclusion of migration-related issues in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the call for a Global Compact on Migration can contribute to improving the means of assessing states' compliance with international legal obligations and improving the reception conditions of migrants.