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Humanitarian and Human Rights Organizations - Non Regional International Committee of the Red Cross Founded in 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. In addition to directing and coordinating the international relief activities conducted by the Movement in situations of conflict tt also endeavors to promote and strengthen humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles. International Humanitarian Law Database Contains the full text of over 90 international documents touching on state humanitarian responsibility during periods of warfare. Coverage commences with the Declaration Respecting Maritime Law (1856). The database also contains text of commentaries on the documents along with ratification details. Photo Gallery . A selection of photos from the ICRC's photo library illustrating both the devastation of war as well as ICRC's operations to assist the victims of war.
African Human Rights System
Inter-American Human Rights System (OAS) The Inter-American system operates with both a Commission and a Court. The Commission, whose seat is in Washington, DC, is empowered not only to hear individual complaints but also to report, as it wishes, on general human rights situations in member states. It may also independently exercise the power to conduct on-site observations in particular countries, with that government's consent. One of the Commission's most important powers is using its discretion to refer contentious cases to the Court, which meets in San Jose, Costa Rica. The Court, which began its operations only in 1979, is empowered to issue decisions of both an advisory nature as well as in contentious cases. The Court, whose jurisdiction must be agreed to by participating states, has heard and decided only a few contentious cases. As of January, 1994, sixteen of the thirty-five member states of the OAS had agreed to the Court's jurisdiction. The principal sources of law for both the Commission and the Court are the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rights (see below). Commission
Court
Although the institutions established under the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) represent only one part of the Council of Europe, in practice the Court and Commission established by the ECHR have been the principle tools through which the Council has worked towards its goal of strengthen democracy, human rights and the rule of law throughout its member states. An institution that is distinct from the European Union, the Council is based in Strasbourg and has a membership which includes the countries of the former Soviet Bloc. Council Institutions:
European Court of Human Rights
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