This document is a compendium of international instruments applicable to juvenile justice and for dealing with children in conflict with the law or involved with the legal system either as a victim or as a witness.
This compendium of international instruments applicable to juvenile justice was compiled by the United Nations Interagency Panel on Juvenile Justice and Terre des Hommes, a Swiss organization focused on child relief. The 36 instruments are presented in 9 main sections. Section 1, International Bill of Human Rights, contains the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Section 2, International Conventions, includes the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Section 3, General Comments, contains four instruments covering children's rights in juvenile justice, the right of the child to be heard, and the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence. Sections 4 and 5 contain instruments dealing with standard minimum rules covering the administration of juvenile justice and the treatment of prisoners. Section 6 has four instruments dealing with Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, while Section 7 has three instruments dealing with Restorative Justice and Alternatives to Imprisonment. Section 8 highlights three instruments dealing with Victims and Legal Aid, while Section 9 contains six instruments covering conduct for law enforcement, the role of prosecutors and the judiciary, use of force and firearms, and the role of lawyers and the prevention of crime.