Relevant sections from international treaties
and conventions
United Nations
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights
UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The Council of Europe
The European Convention on Human Rights
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Article 8
1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family
life, his home and his property.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the
exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the
law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of
national security, public safety or the economic well-being of
the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection
of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms
of others.
Article 23
1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment,
to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against
unemployment.
2. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal
pay for equal work.
3. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration
ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human
dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social
protection.
4. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for
the protection of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable
limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
UN International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights
Part III
Article 6
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right
to work, which includes the right of everyone to the opportunity
to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts,
and will take appropriate steps to safeguard this right.
2. The steps to be taken by a State Party to the present Covenant
to achieve the full realization of this right shall include technical
and vocational guidance and training programmes, policies and techniques
to achieve steady economic, social and cultural.development and
full and productive employment under conditions safeguarding fundamental
political and economic freedoms to the individual.
Article 7
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right
of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions
of work, which ensure, in particular:
(a) remuneration which provides all workers, as a minimum, with:
(i) fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value
without distinction of any kind, in particular women being guaranteed
conditions of work not inferior to those enjoyed by men, with equal
pay for equal work;
(ii) a decent living for themselves and their families in accordance
with the provisions of the present Covenant;
(b) safe and healthy working conditions;
(c) equal opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his employment
to an appropriate higher level, subject to no considerations other
than those of seniority and competence;
(d) rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and
periodic holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public
holidays.
Article 8
1. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure:
(a) the right of everyone to form trade unions and
join the trade union of his choice, subject only to the rules of
the organization concerned, for the promotion and protection of
his economic and social interests. No restrictions may be placed
on the exercise of this right other than those prescribed by law
and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests
of national security or public order or for the protection of the
rights and freedoms of others;
(b) the right of trade unions to establish national federations
or confederations and the right of the latter to form or join international
trade-union organizations;
(c) the right of trade unions to function freely subject to no
limitations other than those prescribed by law and which are necessary
in a democratic society in the interests of national security or
public order or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of
others;
(d) the right to strike, provided that it is exercised in conformity
with the laws of the particular country.
2. This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions
on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces
or of the police or of the administration of the State.
3. Nothing in this article shall authorize States Parties to the
International Labour Organisation Convention of 1948 concerning
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize'
to take legislative measures which would prejudice, or apply the
law in such a manner as would prejudice, the guarantees provided
for in that Convention.
Article 9
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right
of everyone to social security, including social insurance.
Article 10
The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize that:
1. The widest possible protection and assistance should be accorded
to the family, which is the natural and fundamental group unit
of society, particularly for its establishment and while it is
responsible for the care and education of dependent children. Marriage
must be entered into with the free consent of the intending spouses.
2. Special protection should be accorded to mothers during a reasonable
period before and after childbirth. During such period working
mothers should be accorded paid leave or leave with adequate social
security benefits.
3. Special measures of protection and assistance should be taken
on behalf of all children and young persons without any discrimination
for reasons of parentage or other conditions. Children and
young persons should be protected from economic and social exploitation. Their
employment in work harmful to their morals or health or
dangerous to life or likely to hamper their normal development
should be punishable by law. States should also set age limits
below which the paid employment of child labour should be prohibited
and punishable by law.
UN International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights
Article 22
1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with
others, including the right to form and join trade unions for
the protection of his interests.
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right
other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary
in a democratic society in the interests of national security or
public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public
health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of
others. This article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful
restrictions on members of the armed forces and of the police in
their exercise of this right.
3. Nothing in this article shall authorize States Parties to the
International Labour Organisation Convention of 1948 concerning
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize
to take legislative measures which would prejudice, or to apply
the law in such a manner as to prejudice, the guarantees provided
for in that Convention.
The European Convention on Human Rights
Article 11
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and
to freedom of association with others, including the right to form
and to join trade unions for the protection of
his interests.
2. No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights
other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a
democratic society in the interests of national security or public
safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection
of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms
of others. this article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful
restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the
armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State.
Article 14
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention
shall be secured without discrimination on any
ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a
national minority, property, birth or other status. |
