This book analyses the UN's contribution to international human rights, and the desire to ensure that governments are held accountable for their treatment of citizens and others. It offers a comprehensive and expert analysis and critique of UN instruments and organs, including the Human Rights Council.

Frédéric Mégret is a Full-Professor and Dawson Fellow at the Faculty of Law of McGill University. He holds a Phd in international law from the Université Panthéon-Sorbonne and the Graduate Institute of International Studies of the University of Geneva. He is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and the author of many articles on international human rights law, public international law, international criminal law and the laws of war.
Philip Alston is an international lawyer whose teaching focuses primarily on human rights law and the law of international organizations. He directs the recently-established NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, part of the Institute for International Law and Justice. He is currently John Norton Pomeroy Professor of Law, NYU School of Law.

• Appraising the UN Human Rights Regime, Philip Alston and Frédéric Mégret


• Part I: The Human Rights Mandate of the Principal Organs


• 1: The Security Council, Frédéric Mégret


• 2: The General Assembly, Andrew Clapham


• 3: The Economic and Social Council, Frédéric Mégret


• 4: The International Court of Justice, Bruno Simma


• Part II: Subsidiary Human Rights Organs


• 5: The Council and Commission on Human Rights, Rosa Freedman


• 6: The Consultative Committee, Laurence Boisson de Chazournes and Andrzej Gadkowski


• 7: The Commission on the Status of Women, Zehra Arat


• 8: Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: Madeleine Heyward


• Part III: Organs Monitoring Treaty Compliance


• 9: The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Patrick Thornberry


• 10: The Human Rights Committee, Ludovic Hennebel


• 11: The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Andrew Byrnes


• 12: The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Philip Alston.


• 13: The Committee against Torture, Andrew Byrnes.


• 14: The Committee on the Rights of the Child, Christine Evans


• 15: The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Janet Lord and Michael Stei.


• 16: The Committee on Enforced Disappearances, Olivier de Frouville


• 17: The Committee on the Human Rights of Migrant Workers, Vincent Chetail


• 18: Coordination between Treaty Bodies, Suzanne Egan


• Part IV The Governance of Human Rights


• 19: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Andrew Clapham.


• 20: Human Rights Co-ordination within the UN System, Georges Minet