The purpose of this paper is to introduce business people, lawyers and public servants unfamiliar with the international protection of human rights to a potentially important matter which receives little public consideration and on which surprisingly little detailed analysis has been published.

The discussion about international protection of human rights tends to be confined to a small group of academics, lawyers and diplomats who have interested themselves in these matters. But anyone concerned with the conduct of government who omits consideration of the international element may be missing an important constraint on, and occasional stimulus to, activity by governments.