Country Profile for India

Status of Ratifications
Human Rights Instrument : (Date into force) Ratification Status Declaration

Signature: 1967,
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination :1969 ✓
Ratification/Accession: 1968
Signature: NA,
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights :1976 ✓
Ratification/Accession: 1979
Signature: NA,
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights :1976
Ratification/Accession: NA
Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at Signature: NA,
the abolition of the death penalty :1991 Ratification/Accession: NA
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights :1976 Signature: NA, ✓
Ratification/Accession: 1979
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights :2013 Signature: NA,
Ratification/Accession: NA
Signature: 1980,
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women :1981 ✓
Ratification/Accession: 1993
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Signature: NA,
Women :2000 Ratification/Accession: NA
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Signature: 1997,
:1987 Ratification/Accession: NA
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Signature: NA,
Treatment or Punishment :2006 Ratification/Accession: NA
Signature: NA,
Convention on the Rights of the Child :1990 ✓
Ratification/Accession: 1992
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in Signature: 2004,
✓
armed conflict :2002 Ratification/Accession: 2005
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child Signature: 2004,
prostitution and child pornography :2002 Ratification/Accession: 2005
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure Signature: NA,
:2014 Ratification/Accession: NA
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Signature: NA,
their Families :2003 Ratification/Accession: NA
Signature: 2007,
International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance :2010
Ratification/Accession: NA
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities :2008 Signature: 2007,
Ratification/Accession: 2007
Signature: NA,
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities :2008
Ratification/Accession: NA
Declarations
Ratifications (Acronym) Declarations
International
Convention on
the
"The Government of India declare that for reference of any dispute to the International Court of Justice for decision in
Elimination of terms of Article 22 of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, the consent
All Forms of of all parties to the dispute is necessary in each individual case."
Racial
Discrimination
(ICERD)
International
Covenant on
Civil and
Political
[See chapter IV.3.]
Rights
(ICCPR)
Declarations: "I. With reference to article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and
article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Government of the Republic of India declares
that the words `the right of self-determination' appearing in [this article] apply only to the peoples under foreign
domination and that these words do not apply to sovereign independent States or to a section of a people or nation--
International which is the essence of national integrity. "II. With reference to article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Covenant on Political Rights, the Government of the Republic of India takes the position that the provisions of the article shall be so
Economic, applied as to be in consonance with the provisions of clauses (3) to (7) of article 22 of the Constitution of India. Further
Social and under the Indian Legal System, there is no enforceable right to compensation for persons claiming to be victims of
unlawful arrest or detention against the State. "III. With respect to article 13 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Cultural
Political Rights, the Government of the Republic of India reserves its right to apply its law relating to foreigners. "IV.
Rights
With reference to articles 4 and 8 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and
(ICESCR)
articles 12, 19 (3), 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights the Government of the Republic
of India declares that the provisions of the said [article] shall be so applied as to be in conformity with the provisions of
article 19 of the Constitution of India. "V. With reference to article 7 (c) of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, the Government of the Republic of India declares that the provisions of the said article shall
be so applied as to be in conformity with the provisions of article 16(4) of the Constitution of India."
Declarations and reservations made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification: Declarations: "i) With regard to
Convention onarticles 5 (a) and 16 (1) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the
the Government of the Republic of India declares that it shall abide by and ensure these provisions in conformity with its
Elimination of policy of non-interference in the personal affairs of any Community without its initiative and consent. "ii) With regard to
All Forms of article 16 (2) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Government of
Discriminationthe Republic of India declares that though in principle it fully supports the principle of compulsory registration of
against marriages, it is not practical in a vast country like India with its variety of customs, religions and level of literacy."
Women Reservation: "With regard to article 29 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
(CEDAW) Women, the Government of the Republic of India declares that it does not consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of this
article."
Declaration: "While fully subscribing to the objectives and purposes of the Convention, realising that certain of the
rights of child, namely those pertaining to the economic, social and cultural rights can only be progressively
implemented in the developing countries, subject to the extent of available resources and within the framework of
Convention oninternational co-operation; recognising that the child has to be protected from exploitation of all forms including
the Rights of economic exploitation; noting that for several reasons children of different ages do work in India; having prescribed
the Child minimum ages for employment in hazardous occupations and in certain other areas; having made regulatory provisions
(CRC) regarding hours and conditions of employment; and being aware that it is not practical immediately to prescribe
minimum ages for admission to each and every area of employment in India - the Government of India undertakes to
take measures to progressively implement the provisions of article 32, particularly paragraph 2 (a), in accordance with
 its national legislation and relevant international instruments to which it is a State Party."
Optional
Protocol to the
Convention onDeclarations: "Pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
the Rights of involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Republic of India declare that: (i) The minimum age
the Child on for recruitment of prospective recruits into Armed Forces of India (Army, Air Force and Navy) is 16 years. After
the enrollment and requisite training period, the attested Armed Forces personnel is sent to the operational area only after
involvement of
he attains 18 years of age; (ii) The recruitment into the Armed Forces of India is purely voluntary and conducted through
children in
open rally system/open competitive examinations. There is no forced or coerced recruitment into the Armed Forces."
armed conflict
(OP-CRC-
AC)