This revised edition strengthens the widely recognized and highly valued Istanbul Protocol standards on the effective investigation into and documentation of torture and ill-treatment. Relying on multi-sectoral engagement specialized global expertise and practical experiences of law health and human rights professionals in the field including members of United Nations anti-torture bodies the updated edition seeks to fortify the implementation of international norms and preventive tools to assist survivors of torture worldwide. The Istanbul Protocol and the accompanying “Istanbul Principles” also serve as a global standard against which the delivery of expert legal and medical evidence can be benchmarked in the investigation and prevention of torture. The Istanbul Protocol should appeal to a wide variety of stakeholders including States civil society doctors psychologists social workers lawyers forensic specialists asylum officers human rights officers and many others.
With hundreds of references to the jurisprudence of United Nations human rights mechanisms this handbook provides human rights and electoral practitioners with a clear picture of the close interplay between elections and international human rights law. The handbook discusses international human rights standards regarding electoral processes and political participation and how these standards apply to specific aspects of elections. Current issues such as gender-based violence in politics disinformation and data manipulation and the impact of Internet shutdowns are considered in the light of international human rights law and the recommendations of United Nations experts.
This guide was developed in the context of the OHCHR Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme established by General Assembly Resolution 68/268 to support States parties in building their capacity to implement their treaty obligations in this case their obligations under the Optional Protocol. It seeks to respond to key questions frequently asked about National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) and to explain the four core functions of the mechanisms – visiting providing advice enhancing cooperation and educating – which are key to their effective functioning. It includes checklists and other guidance offering practical tools to aid their performance. It aims to assist both States planning to establish or seeking to strengthen their NPMs as well as the staff of the NPMs themselves.
