Course

United Nations Human Rights System - 2025

May 27, 2025 - Jun 13, 2025

$1,768 Enroll

Full course description

*The total course cost indicated on this page includes the course value and all application and administrative fees.

We are thrilled to share another one of our courses for the Program of Advanced Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law: United Nations Human Rights System.

Get the experience to remember from the experts: Gerald Staberock, General Secretary, World Organization Against Torture in Geneva, Switzerland; Claude Heller Rouassant, Chairperson, Committee Against Torture, United Nations, and Rochus J.P. Pronk, Diplomat, Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands and Iraq.

Deepen your knowledge in the United Nations Human Rights System, its impact, and its implementation in international and domestic law. Here you will learn about the structure, way of working, and the most relevant international treaties of the United Nations for the protection of human rights.

In the last half a century, the international community has agreed on extensive human rights standards set forth in more than 1000 instruments, including treaties and declarations, covering civil and political, as well as economic, social, and cultural rights. Some treaties enjoy sweeping ratifications. While states carry the primary responsibility under international law for implementation, several international and regional organizations have in place an increasing number of monitoring institutions for scrutinizing national performances. It is suggested that the human rights movement has, historically speaking, in a short period, been very successful in terms of popular support and in the realization of international standards, while there is still a long way to go. The mainstreaming of human rights has allowed human rights considerations to increasingly be present in international debates relating to international peace and security, trade, multinational companies, children, development, the environment, and so on. Many states take human rights into account in their foreign policies. Non-governmental organizations, like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, play a crucial role in keeping the debate honest and open. Additionally, the press reports on human rights issues on a regular basis, keeping human rights at the forefront.

Furthermore, it is suggested that international law regulation, mainly based on treaties to which states have agreed, is helpful in overcoming political, religious, and cultural differences and perceptions around the world. Important aspects of an international law approach are the universality and objectivity of application, with all countries expected to abide by the same rules, no matter whether they fit into political alliances or not. It is the underlying assumption of the UN Charter that respect for these rules will make the world a better and more peaceful place. We will analyze, discuss, and test each topic in the course schedule below, as a matter of both law and politics, during the course.

Policies and Processes

Refunds:

The following is the refund policy for courses registered through our Professional and Lifelong Learning Portal (https://american.catalog.instructure.com/).

Learners will be eligible for a refund (minus any non-refundable fees) if they drop a course and request a refund no later than a week before the start of the course. If a learner registered for a course after the start date, they will be ineligible for a refund.

Learners registered for on-demand courses without a start date will be eligible for a refund if the course is dropped and a refund is requested within 24 hours of registration and when there is no record of page views or participation in the Canvas Platform.

Refund requests will be denied if requested after a course’s start date, or when there is a record of page views or participation in the canvas Platform.

Payments and fees:

For payments with credit cards, debit cards or bank accounts, the tuition cost includes a non-refundable 4% administrative fee. In case an eligible refund is requested, the net funds returned will be the tuition minus 4%. 

Notice about AU Non-Credit Courses:

 

Non-credit courses are not recorded in American University transcripts. No credit is earned from these courses and grades are not posted. Learners enrolled in Non-Credit courses will not receive an AU ID or have access to services and or facilities reserved for AU students. Access to the AU library system will be available to all members of the greater Washington DC area through visitor services. See the link for more information https://www.american.edu/library/services/visitors.cfm

 

For Information about this course:

Please contact

Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

(202) 274-4295