The Legal Basis for Human Rights Protection Institutions in Iraq

Abstract

The international community has sought to protect human rights
and promote respect for them. For this reason, many international
treaties and agreements were concluded. Most international
conventions and declarations emphasize the protection, respect and
promotion of human rights. The United Nations Charter of 1945
comes at the forefront of these charters, which formed the basis for
the protection of human rights, as well as the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Civil and
Political Rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Hence,
states stipulated in their constitutions the protection of human rights
and enacted laws regulating this. But stipulating human rights in constitutions and legislation is
not enough to say that the state respects human rights and works to
protect and promote them in accordance with international standards.
There must be national institutions specialized in protecting human
rights and independent, and the names of these institutions may vary.
It may be a committee, council, institution, or commission. In Iraq,
these institutions are represented by the High Commission for Human
Rights. It is one of the state agencies, has administrative and financial
independence, and has a law that explains its structure and tasks. The
Commission consists of a Board of Commissioners and has offices
and branches in the governorates and regions. The Commission has
tasks and activities that may be powers to protect, or powers to
enhance the protection of human rights, or advisory powers with
regard to national legislation and proposing accession to
international agreements.