PROCEDURE FOR LODGING COMPLAINTS BEFORE HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS: CONSIDERATIONS TO LITIGANTS

Abstract

Human rights are promoted and protected through four different legal spheres. The first layer galvanizing human rights is at the international level, under the stewardship of the United Nations; second is at the regional level by the regional integration bodies; third is at sub-regional level by the regional economic communities; and the last is at the domestic level, by the national institutions. In all these layers, there are institutions which are formulated to facilitate the enforcement of human rights. Further, these bodies have mechanised and adopted different measures to promote and protect human rights; a few of which include: reporting procedure, inter-state communication, individual communication and complaints procedure, inquiry procedure, investigation; and Universal Periodic Review. Within such a setting, this article, selectively, sketches the practical and procedural aspects governing institutions with the overarching objective of upholding human rights law.