Andorra is a Member State of the Council of Europe (COE) and of the United Nations (UN), and has human rights obligations at the regional and universal levels.
Regional: European System
As a Member of the COE, Andorra has ratified the European Convention on Human Rights and is subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. Andorra has ratified the Revised European Social Charter, but has not authorized the European Committee of Social Rights to decide collective complaints against it. Its human rights policies and practices are also monitored by the COE Commissioner for Human Rights, who identifies gaps in human rights protection, conducts country visits, engages in dialogue with States, and prepares thematic reports and advice on human rights obligations.
Individuals and groups have submitted complaints of human rights violations committed by Andorra to the European Court of Human Rights. For example, the Court held that Andorra violated the right to respect for private and family life and engaged in discrimination by denying an individual his inheritance on the basis that he was adopted. See ECtHR, Pla and Pucernau v. Andorra, no. 69498/01, ECHR 2004, Judgment of 15 December 2004. Additionally, the Court may grant interim measures to protect people in urgent situations of risk in Andorra.
As a State party to the Revised European Social Charter, Andorra must submit yearly reports to the European Committee of Social Rights on its implementation of the Charter’s provisions.
Andorra is a party to the following regional human rights treaties:
- European Convention on Human Rights and several of its protocols
- Revised European Social Charter
- COE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- COE Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
- European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
United Nations System
As a UN Member State, Andorra is subject to the oversight of various UN human rights bodies, including the Human Rights Council and its Universal Periodic Review and thematic special procedures. As a party to specific universal human rights treaties, Andorra’s policies and practices are monitored by UN treaty bodies. It has accepted the complaints procedure of six treaty bodies.
Andorra has ratified the following UN human rights treaties:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
- Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT)
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
Andorra has submitted declarations that modify its obligations under the CRC.
Andorra has also ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR aimed at abolishing the death penalty, and optional protocols to the CRC addressing children in armed conflict and the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography. Andorra has a duty to submit State reports to the UN treaty body associated with each human rights treaty Andorra has ratified. These reports must be submitted on a periodic basis and describe the steps Andorra has taken to implement the treaty.
Andorra has also ratified optional protocols or made appropriate declarations allowing individuals to submit complaints against the State alleging violations of the ICCPR, CEDAW, CAT, CRPD, CERD, and CRC. Additionally, certain UN treaties establish inquiry procedures, which allow the UN treaty body to consider allegations of grave or systematic human rights violations. Andorra has accepted the inquiry procedures of the CAT, CEDAW, CRC, and CRPD.
On November 3, 2010, Andorra extended a standing invitation to UN special procedures, welcoming any such mandate holders to conduct a visit to Andorra.
For more information on Andorra’s engagement with UN human rights bodies, visit http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/ADIndex.aspx.
Last updated: July 2019