The United Nations and Human Rights

The principal institutional framework for furthering human rights in the world community is the United Nations (UN), the only intergovernmental structure with a general mandate for realizing all human rights in all countries. The UN is a tool of geopolitics for some and a beacon of hope for others. We begin with some preliminary observations on the place and promise of human rights in and under the UN Charter1 to set the stage for explaining the UN’s strengths and weaknesses as a force for the realization of human rights in the global community