Click on the links below to see the full text of relevant international human rights standards and norms. See also the overview section for how these standards relate to each other.

 
Child-specific:

International standards and norms on children in conflict with the law:

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), especially articles 37 and 40 (EN, FR, ES)

• United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The ‘Riyadh Guidelines') (1990) (EN, FR, ES)

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The ‘Beijing Rules') (1985) (EN, FR, ES)

• United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty (The ‘JDLs') (1990) (EN, FR, ES)

• Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System, ECOSOC Resolution 1997/30 (EN)

• Basic principles on the use of restorative justice programmes in criminal matters, ECOSOC Resolution 2000/14 (EN)

• Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 10 (2007) on “Children’s rights in juvenile justice” (EN, FR, ES)

• Resolution ECOSOC 2007/23: Supporting national efforts for child justice reform, in particular through technical assistance and improved United Nations system-wide coordination (EN, FR, ES)

• Human Rights Council Resolution (A/HRC/10/L.15) on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice (20 March 2009) (Latest version in EN)

International standards and norms on children as victims or witnesses:

• Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crimes, ECOSOC Resolution 2005/20 (EN, FR, ES, ARABIC, CHINESE, RUSSIAN)

Non child-specific:

International standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice:

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), especially articles 6,9, 10,14  (EN,  FR, ES)

• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984),   (EN, FR, ES)

• Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (The ‘Standard Minimum Rules') (1977)  (EN,  FR, ES)

• United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (The ‘Tokyo Rules') (1990) (EN, FR, ES)

• United Nations Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials (1979) (EN, FR, ES)

• United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials (1990) (EN,  FR, ES)

International standards and norms on victims and witnesses:

• United Nations Declaration on Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, UN General Assembly Resolution 40/34 (1985) (EN, FR, ES)

• Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors (1990) (EN, FR, ES)

• Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990) (EN, FR, ES)