Regional human rights institutions data

The Design of Regional Human Rights Mechanisms

This dataset identifies all regional human rights mechanisms created or planned within regional organizations in the global south. It includes variables on important design characteristics of each mechanism, such as whether institutional bodies have enforcement authority or whether individuals have access through complaints mechanisms or direct elections. The data also contains index variables on the level of enforcement, independence, legalization, and civil society access for each mechanism, as well as states’ highest overall level of commitment for each variable. This facilitates direct comparison of the depth and form of state human rights commitments both within regional organizations and compared to international commitments.

Mechanisms identified include institutional bodies, constitutional provisions, and treaties adopted within regional and sub-regional organizations in the global south that delegate authority to enforce, promote, facilitate cooperation, build capacity, or provide technical assistance to states on human rights. The country-year version includes every mechanism available to a state between 1960 and 2015 and when, or whether, they adopted and ratified them.