International Human Rights Law: 2026
Exam Prep
Core Treaties, Enforcement & Contemporary Rights (100 Questions)
1. The "International Bill of Human Rights" consists of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) and which two other treaties?
A) The Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions
B) The ICCPR and the ICESCR
C) The ECHR and the ACHR
D) The UN Charter and the Rome Statute
Correct Answer: B) The ICCPR and the ICESCR
2. Adopted in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is technically a:
A) Binding international treaty
B) Resolution of the UN General Assembly
C) Customary law document only
D) Protocol to the UN Charter
Correct Answer: B) Resolution of the UN General Assembly
3. The ICCPR stands for:
A) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
B) International Convention on Criminal and Penal Rights
C) International Charter of Civil and Property Rights
D) Inter-American Court of Civil and Political Rights
Correct Answer: A) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
4. The ICESCR stands for:
A) International Court of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
B) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
C) International Charter of Environmental and Social Rights
D) Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Social Rights
Correct Answer: B) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
5. Under the ICESCR, states are obligated to achieve the full realization of the rights
recognized:
A) Immediately upon ratification
B) Progressively, to the maximum of their available resources
,C) Only if they receive international aid
D) Within exactly 10 years
Correct Answer: B) Progressively, to the maximum of their available resources
6. Which of the following rights is considered "absolute" and non-derogable under the
ICCPR?
A) Freedom of expression
B) Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
C) Freedom of movement
D) The right to property
Correct Answer: B) Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
7. "Derogation" in international human rights law refers to:
A) The permanent deletion of a right
B) The temporary suspension of certain rights during a public emergency threatening the life of
the nation
C) The process of ratifying a new treaty
D) The transfer of rights to another state
Correct Answer: B) The temporary suspension of certain rights during a public
emergency threatening the life of the nation
8. The principle of "Non-refoulement" prohibits states from:
A) Imprisoning foreign nationals
B) Returning refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they face a real risk of persecution
or torture
C) Denying foreign aid to developing countries
D) Extraditing criminals for financial crimes
Correct Answer: B) Returning refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they face a
real risk of persecution or torture
9. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was established to replace which former
body?
A) The UN Security Council
B) The UN Commission on Human Rights
C) The International Court of Justice
D) The UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Correct Answer: B) The UN Commission on Human Rights
10. What is the "Universal Periodic Review" (UPR)?
, A) A yearly audit of the UN's budget
B) A mechanism of the UNHRC involving a review of the human rights records of all UN
Member States
C) A court process for international criminals
D) A regional human rights inspection
Correct Answer: B) A mechanism of the UNHRC involving a review of the human rights
records of all UN Member States
11. "Special Procedures" of the Human Rights Council include:
A) Armed peacekeepers
B) Independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on specific themes or
country situations
C) Financial sanctions
D) International arrest warrants
Correct Answer: B) Independent human rights experts with mandates to report and
advise on specific themes or country situations
12. UN "Treaty Bodies" (e.g., the Human Rights Committee) are composed of:
A) State delegates representing their governments
B) Independent experts of recognized competence elected by State parties
C) UN Security Council members
D) NGOs and civil society leaders
Correct Answer: B) Independent experts of recognized competence elected by State
parties
13. To bring an individual complaint before a UN Treaty Body, a victim must generally
first:
A) Pay a filing fee
B) Exhaust all available domestic remedies
C) Obtain the consent of their home state
D) Be a recognized diplomat
Correct Answer: B) Exhaust all available domestic remedies
14. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women is
commonly known by its acronym:
A) CERD
B) CEDAW
C) CAT
D) CRC
Correct Answer: B) CEDAW
15. Under international law, a "Reservation" to a human rights treaty allows a state to:
A) Completely rewrite the treaty
B) Exclude or modify the legal effect of certain provisions of the treaty in their application to that
state
C) Force other states to follow their laws
D) Suspend the treaty permanently
Exam Prep
Core Treaties, Enforcement & Contemporary Rights (100 Questions)
1. The "International Bill of Human Rights" consists of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) and which two other treaties?
A) The Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions
B) The ICCPR and the ICESCR
C) The ECHR and the ACHR
D) The UN Charter and the Rome Statute
Correct Answer: B) The ICCPR and the ICESCR
2. Adopted in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is technically a:
A) Binding international treaty
B) Resolution of the UN General Assembly
C) Customary law document only
D) Protocol to the UN Charter
Correct Answer: B) Resolution of the UN General Assembly
3. The ICCPR stands for:
A) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
B) International Convention on Criminal and Penal Rights
C) International Charter of Civil and Property Rights
D) Inter-American Court of Civil and Political Rights
Correct Answer: A) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
4. The ICESCR stands for:
A) International Court of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
B) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
C) International Charter of Environmental and Social Rights
D) Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Social Rights
Correct Answer: B) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
5. Under the ICESCR, states are obligated to achieve the full realization of the rights
recognized:
A) Immediately upon ratification
B) Progressively, to the maximum of their available resources
,C) Only if they receive international aid
D) Within exactly 10 years
Correct Answer: B) Progressively, to the maximum of their available resources
6. Which of the following rights is considered "absolute" and non-derogable under the
ICCPR?
A) Freedom of expression
B) Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
C) Freedom of movement
D) The right to property
Correct Answer: B) Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
7. "Derogation" in international human rights law refers to:
A) The permanent deletion of a right
B) The temporary suspension of certain rights during a public emergency threatening the life of
the nation
C) The process of ratifying a new treaty
D) The transfer of rights to another state
Correct Answer: B) The temporary suspension of certain rights during a public
emergency threatening the life of the nation
8. The principle of "Non-refoulement" prohibits states from:
A) Imprisoning foreign nationals
B) Returning refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they face a real risk of persecution
or torture
C) Denying foreign aid to developing countries
D) Extraditing criminals for financial crimes
Correct Answer: B) Returning refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they face a
real risk of persecution or torture
9. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was established to replace which former
body?
A) The UN Security Council
B) The UN Commission on Human Rights
C) The International Court of Justice
D) The UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Correct Answer: B) The UN Commission on Human Rights
10. What is the "Universal Periodic Review" (UPR)?
, A) A yearly audit of the UN's budget
B) A mechanism of the UNHRC involving a review of the human rights records of all UN
Member States
C) A court process for international criminals
D) A regional human rights inspection
Correct Answer: B) A mechanism of the UNHRC involving a review of the human rights
records of all UN Member States
11. "Special Procedures" of the Human Rights Council include:
A) Armed peacekeepers
B) Independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on specific themes or
country situations
C) Financial sanctions
D) International arrest warrants
Correct Answer: B) Independent human rights experts with mandates to report and
advise on specific themes or country situations
12. UN "Treaty Bodies" (e.g., the Human Rights Committee) are composed of:
A) State delegates representing their governments
B) Independent experts of recognized competence elected by State parties
C) UN Security Council members
D) NGOs and civil society leaders
Correct Answer: B) Independent experts of recognized competence elected by State
parties
13. To bring an individual complaint before a UN Treaty Body, a victim must generally
first:
A) Pay a filing fee
B) Exhaust all available domestic remedies
C) Obtain the consent of their home state
D) Be a recognized diplomat
Correct Answer: B) Exhaust all available domestic remedies
14. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women is
commonly known by its acronym:
A) CERD
B) CEDAW
C) CAT
D) CRC
Correct Answer: B) CEDAW
15. Under international law, a "Reservation" to a human rights treaty allows a state to:
A) Completely rewrite the treaty
B) Exclude or modify the legal effect of certain provisions of the treaty in their application to that
state
C) Force other states to follow their laws
D) Suspend the treaty permanently
