The purpose of this list is to classify events according to general, commonly used human rights categories.

The first version of this list was published in 1985 in the HURIDOCS Standard Formats for the Recording and Exchange of Information on Human Rights (1). A revised list was published in 1993 as HURIDOCS Supporting Document No. 2 (2). Among the sources consulted for this revision and the list below are: International Thesaurus of Refugee Terminology (3), International Law: a Thesaurus (4), the OECD Macrothesaurus (5), the Amnesty International List of Keywords (6), and the Chilean Glosario (7).

Since its original publication, HURIDOCS has received several requests and suggestions from organisations involved in the HURIDOCS network for additions and amendments to the list. In 1999-2000, the list was revised by a Working Group consisting of Geneviève Bador, Agnes Camacho, Stephen Hansen, Aída María Noval, Agnethe Olesen and Bert Verstappen. While the previous list contained 235 terms, the list below has 304 terms.

There is no hierarchical or relational structure in the list, but as much as possible, the index terms are mutually exclusive. Complex concepts should be expressed by choosing two or more index terms from the list. This is a long, alphabetical list with one level, as described in Rule No. 2 in the Introduction.

This Micro-thesaurus is used for field 154 HURIDOCS Index Terms in the Event format.

CODE
 TERM
 
  01 02 04 21 03 01
 Abduction
 
01 02 15 18 20 01
 Abortion
 
01 02 21 19 05 01
 Abuse of the elderly
 
01 03 01 04 05 01
 Academic freedom
 
01 04 13 09 14 01
 Administration of justice
 
01 07 05 14 20 01
 Agents responsible for violations
 
01 07 18 09 03 01
 Agriculture
 
01 12 09 05 14 01
 Aliens
 
01 13 14 05 19 01
 Amnesty
 
01 18 02 09 20 01
 Arbitrary arrest and detention
 
01 18 13 05 04 01
 Armed conflict
 
01 18 13 05 04 02
 Armed forces
 
01 19 25 12 21 01
 Asylum
 
01 19 25 12 21 02
 Asylum seekers
 
02 05 12 09 05 01
 Belief systems
 
02 09 15 05 20 01
 Bioethics
 
02 15 14 04 05 01
 Bonded labour
 
02 15 21 14 04 01
 Boundaries
 
02 21 19 09 14 01
 Business corporations
 
03 01 18 05 07 01
 Caregiving
 
03 01 19 05 00 01
 Case law
 
03 01 19 20 05 01
 Caste system
 
03 01 19 21 01 01
 Casual workers
 
03 05 14 19 15 01
 Censorship
 
03 08 09 12 04 01
 Child abuse
 
03 08 09 12 04 02
 Child custody
 
03 08 09 12 04 03
 Child labour
 
03 08 09 12 04 04
 Child soldiers
 
03 08 09 12 04 05
 Children
 
03 08 09 12 04 06
 Children in conflict with the law
 
03 09 22 09 12 01
 Civil and political rights
 
03 09 22 09 12 02
 Civil society
 
03 09 22 09 12 03
 Civilian population
 
03 15 04 05 19 01
 Codes of conduct
 
03 15 12 12 05 01
 Collective punishment
 
03 15 12 12 05 02
 Collective rights
 
03 15 13 13 09 01
 Commissions of inquiry
 
03 15 13 13 21 01
 Communication
 
03 15 13 13 21 02
 Communication technology
 
03 15 13 16 21 01
 Computers
 
03 15 14 06 12 01
 Conflict
 
03 15 14 06 12 02
 Conflict resolution
 
03 15 14 19 03 01
 Conscientious objection
 
03 15 14 19 20 01
 Constitution
 
03 15 14 19 21 01
 Consumer rights
 
03 15 15 16 05 01
 Cooperation
 
03 15 18 18 21 01
 Corruption
 
03 15 21 14 20 01
 Country of origin
 
03 15 21 16 00 01
 Coup d'etat
 
03 15 21 18 20 01
 Courts
 
03 18 09 13 05 01
 Crime
 
03 18 09 13 05 02
 Crimes against humanity
 
03 18 09 13 09 01
 Criminal law
 
03 21 12 20 21 01
 Culture
 
04 05 01 20 08 01
 Death
 
04 05 01 20 08 02
 Death penalty
 
04 05 02 20 00 01
 Debt bondage
 
04 05 13 15 03 01
 Democracy
 
04 05 16 15 18 01
 Deportation
 
04 05 19 05 18 01
 Deserters
 
04 05 20 01 09 01
 Detained persons
 
04 05 20 05 14 01
 Detention
 
04 05 22 05 12 01
 Developed countries
 
04 05 22 05 12 02
 Developing countries
 
04 05 22 05 12 03
 Development
 
04 05 22 05 12 04
 Development aid
 
04 09 19 01 02 01
 Disabled persons
 
04 09 19 01 16 01
 Disappeared persons
 
04 09 19 01 19 01
 Disasters
 
04 09 19 03 18 01
 Discrimination
 
04 09 19 16 12 01
 Displaced persons
 
04 15 13 05 19 01
 Domestic violence
 
04 18 21 07 00 01
 Drug dealing
 
05 01 18 12 25 01
 Early warning systems
 
05 03 15 14 15 01
 Economic conditions
 
05 03 15 14 15 02
 Economic deprivation
 
05 03 15 14 15 03
 Economic, social and cultural rights
 
05 03 15 14 15 04
 Economics
 
05 04 21 03 01 01
 Education
 
05 04 21 03 01 02
 Educational discrimination
 
05 12 04 05 18 01
 Elderly
 
05 12 05 03 20 01
 Elections
 
05 12 05 03 20 02
 Electoral fraud and intimidation
 
05 13 05 18 07 01
 Emergency legislation
 
05 13 16 12 15 01
 Employment
 
05 14 22 09 18 01
 Environment
 
05 17 21 01 12 01
 Equal opportunities
 
05 17 21 01 12 02
 Equality before the law
 
05 20 08 14 09 01
 Ethnic and national groups
 
05 20 08 14 09 02
 Ethnic conflict
 
05 20 08 14 09 03
 Ethnic discrimination
 
05 20 08 14 09 04
 Ethnic persecution
 
05 21 20 01 14 01
 Euthanasia
 
05 24 09 12 05 01
 Exile
 
05 24 20 18 01 01
 Extradition
 
05 24 20 18 01 02
 Extrajudicial executions
 
06 01 03 20 00 01
 Fact-finding missions
 
06 01 09 18 00 01
 Fair trial
 
06 01 13 09 12 01
 Family
 
06 01 13 09 14 01
 Famine
 
06 05 13 01 12 01
 Female genital mutilation
 
06 12 09 07 08 01
 Flight
 
06 15 15 04 00 01
 Food
 
06 15 18 03 05 01
 Forced conscription
 
06 15 18 03 05 02
 Forced labour
 
06 15 18 03 05 03
 Forced relocation
 
06 15 18 05 09 01
 Foreign occupation
 
06 15 18 05 09 02
 Foreign policy
 
06 18 05 05 04 01
 Freedom of assembly
 
06 18 05 05 04 02
 Freedom of association
 
06 18 05 05 04 03
 Freedom of conscience
 
06 18 05 05 04 04
 Freedom of expression
 
06 18 05 05 04 05
 Freedom of information
 
06 18 05 05 04 06
 Freedom of movement
 
06 18 05 05 04 07
 Freedom of religion
 
06 18 05 05 04 08
 Freedom of speech
 
07 05 14 04 05 01
 Gender discrimination
 
07 05 14 04 05 02
 Gender-based persecution
 
07 05 14 05 20 01
 Genetics
 
07 05 14 15 03 01
 Genocide
 
07 09 18 12 00 01
 Girl-child
 
07 12 15 02 01 01
 Globalisation
 
07 15 22 05 18 01
 Government
 
08 05 01 12 20 01
 Health
 
08 05 01 12 20 02
 Health personnel
 
08 05 01 12 20 03
 Health services
 
08 09 19 20 15 01
 History
 
08 09 22 00 01 01
 HIV/AIDS
 
08 15 13 05 12 01
 Homelessness
 
08 15 21 19 05 01
 Household workers
 
08 15 21 19 09 01
 Housing
 
08 21 13 01 14 01
 Human rights
 
08 21 13 01 14 02
 Human rights defenders
 
08 21 13 01 14 03
 Human rights education
 
08 21 13 01 14 04
 Human rights violations
 
09 12 12 05 07 01
 Illegal detention
 
09 13 13 09 07 01
 Immigrants
 
09 13 13 09 07 02
 Immigration
 
09 13 16 18 09 01
 Imprisonment
 
09 13 16 21 14 01
 Impunity
 
09 14 04 09 07 01
 Indigenous groups
 
09 14 06 15 18 01
 Information
 
09 14 06 15 18 02
 Information handling
 
09 14 06 15 18 03
 Information systems
 
09 14 08 21 13 01
 Inhuman treatment
 
09 14 20 05 18 01
 Intergovernmental organisations
 
09 14 20 05 18 02
 Internal conflict
 
09 14 20 05 18 03
 Internal displacement
 
09 14 20 05 18 04
 Internally displaced persons
 
09 14 20 05 18 05
 International courts
 
09 14 20 05 18 06
 International humanitarian law
 
09 14 20 05 18 07
 International instruments
 
09 14 20 05 18 08
 International intervention
 
09 14 20 05 18 09
 International law
 
09 14 20 05 18 10
 International organisations
 
10 21 04 09 03 01
 Judicial system
 
12 01 02 15 21 01
 Labour
 
12 01 02 15 21 02
 Labour law
 
12 01 14 04 21 01
 Land tenure
 
12 01 14 07 21 01
 Language
 
12 01 23 00 00 01
 Law
 
12 01 23 00 01 01
 Law and order
 
12 01 23 25 05 01
 Lawyers
 
12 05 07 01 12 01
 Legal assistance
 
12 05 07 01 12 02
 Legal proceedings
 
12 05 07 01 12 03
 Legal protection
 
12 09 22 09 14 01
 Living conditions
 
13 01 18 18 09 01
 Marriage
 
13 01 19 19 00 01
 Mass media
 
13 05 14 20 01 01
 Mental health
 
13 09 07 18 01 01
 Migrant workers
 
13 09 07 18 01 02
 Migrants
 
13 09 07 18 01 03
 Migration
 
13 09 12 09 20 01
 Military courts
 
13 09 12 09 20 02
 Military government
 
13 09 14 15 18 01
 Minority groups
 
13 09 19 19 09 01
 Missing persons
 
14 01 20 09 15 01
 National law
 
14 01 20 09 15 02
 National liberation movements
 
14 01 20 09 15 03
 National security
 
14 01 20 09 15 04
 Nationalities and regional groups
 
14 01 20 09 15 05
 Nationality
 
14 01 20 21 18 01
 Natural resources
 
14 07 15 19 00 01
 NGOs
 
14 15 14 00 07 01
 Non-governmental entities
 
14 15 14 00 19 02
 Non-state agents
 
14 21 20 18 09 01
 Nutrition
 
15 03 03 21 16 01
 Occupations
 
15 18 07 01 14 01
 Organisations
 
16 01 18 09 01 01
 Parliament
 
16 01 18 20 09 01
 Participation
 
16 05 01 03 05 01
 Peace
 
16 05 01 03 05 02
 Peace keeping
 
16 05 01 03 05 03
 Peacekeeping forces
 
16 05 01 19 01 01
 Peasants
 
16 05 15 16 11 01
 Peoples rights
 
16 05 18 19 05 01
 Persecution
 
16 15 12 09 03 01
 Police
 
16 15 12 09 16 01
 Political activities
 
16 15 12 09 16 02
 Political asylum
 
16 15 12 09 16 03
 Political detainees
 
16 15 12 09 16 04
 Political movements
 
16 15 12 09 16 05
 Political opposition
 
16 15 12 09 16 06
 Political participation
 
16 15 12 09 16 07
 Political parties
 
16 15 12 09 16 08
 Political systems
 
16 15 12 09 16 09
 Political violence
 
16 15 12 09 16 10
 Politics
 
16 15 16 21 12 01
 Population
 
16 15 22 05 18 01
 Poverty
 
16 18 09 19 15 01
 Prison conditions
 
16 18 09 19 15 02
 Prisoners
 
16 18 09 22 01 01
 Privacy
 
16 18 15 16 05 01
 Property
 
16 18 15 19 20 01
 Prostitution
 
16 18 15 20 05 01
 Protest
 
16 19 25 03 08 01
 Psychiatry
 
16 19 25 03 08 02
 Psychology
 
16 21 14 09 19 01
 Punishment
 
18 01 03 09 19 01
 Racism
 
18 01 16 05 00 01
 Rape
 
18 05 03 15 14 01
 Reconciliation
 
18 05 03 15 14 02
 Reconstruction
 
18 05 06 15 21 01
 Refoulement
 
18 05 06 21 07 01
 Refugee law
 
18 05 06 21 07 02
 Refugee status
 
18 05 06 21 07 03
 Refugees
 
18 05 07 09 15 01
 Regional human rights protection systems
 
18 05 07 09 15 02
 Regional security
 
18 05 07 09 15 03
 Regional treaty bodies
 
18 05 08 01 02 01
 Rehabilitation
 
18 05 12 09 07 01
 Religious discrimination
 
18 05 12 09 07 02
 Religious groups
 
18 05 12 09 07 03
 Religious institutions
 
18 05 16 01 20 01
 Repatriation
 
18 05 16 18 05 01
 Repression
 
18 05 16 18 15 01
 Reproductive health
 
18 05 19 05 20 01
 Resettlement
 
18 05 19 09 19 01
 Resistance movements
 
18 05 20 21 18 01
 Returnees
 
18 09 07 08 20 01
 Right of appeal
 
18 09 07 08 20 02
 Right of asylum
 
18 09 07 08 20 03
 Right to a nationality
 
18 09 07 08 20 04
 Right to education
 
18 09 07 08 20 06
 Right to food
 
18 09 07 08 20 07
 Right to housing
 
18 09 07 08 20 08
 Right to information
 
18 09 07 08 20 09
 Right to justice
 
18 09 07 08 20 10
 Right to leave
 
18 09 07 08 20 11
 Right to liberty and security
 
18 09 07 08 20 12
 Right to life
 
18 09 07 08 20 13
 Right to property
 
18 09 07 08 20 14
 Right to return
 
18 09 07 08 20 15
 Right to seek asylum
 
18 09 07 08 20 16
 Right to work
 
18 21 12 05 00 01
 Rule of law
 
18 21 18 01 12 01
 Rural areas
 
19 01 14 03 20 01
 Sanctions
 
19 03 08 15 15 01
 Schools
 
19 03 09 05 14 01
 Science
 
19 05 12 06 00 01
 Self-determination
 
19 05 24 21 01 01
 Sexual abuse
 
19 05 24 21 01 02
 Sexual orientation
 
19 05 24 21 01 03
 Sexuality
 
19 12 01 22 05 01
 Slavery
 
19 15 03 09 01 01
 Social group discrimination
 
19 15 03 09 01 02
 Social groups
 
19 15 03 09 01 03
 Social mobility
 
19 15 03 09 01 04
 Social organisations
 
19 15 03 09 01 05
 Social security
 
19 15 03 09 01 06
 Social welfare
 
19 20 01 14 04 01
 Standard of living
 
19 20 01 20 05 01
 State
 
19 20 01 20 05 02
 State agents
 
19 20 01 20 05 03
 State of emergency
 
19 20 01 20 05 04
 Statelessness
 
19 20 18 05 05 01
 Street children
 
19 20 18 09 11 01
 Strikes
 
19 20 21 04 05 01
 Students
 
19 21 19 20 01 01
 Sustainable development
 
20 05 03 08 14 01
 Technology
 
20 15 18 20 21 01
 Torture
 
20 15 18 20 21 02
 Torture victims
 
20 15 18 20 21 03
 Torture victims treatment
 
20 18 01 04 05 01
 Trade unions
 
20 18 01 06 06 01
 Trafficking
 
20 18 01 09 14 01
 Training
 
20 18 05 01 20 01
 Treaties
 
20 18 09 01 12 01
 Trials
 
21 14 00 20 18 01
 UN treaty bodies
 
21 14 05 13 16 01
 Unemployment
 
21 14 09 22 05 01
 Universal human rights protection system
 
21 18 02 01 14 01
 Urban areas
 
22 09 03 20 09 01
 Victims
 
22 09 15 12 05 01
 Violence
 
22 09 15 12 05 02
 Violence against women
 
23 01 18 00 03 01
 War crimes
 
23 15 13 05 14 01
 Women
 
23 15 18 11 05 01
 Workers
 
23 15 18 11 09 01
 Working conditions
 
23 15 21 14 04 01
 Wounds and injuries
 
25 15 21 20 08 01
 Youth
 


(1) Stormorken, Bjørn. HURIDOCS Standard Formats for the Recording and Exchange of Information on Human Rights. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff and HURIDOCS, 1985.

(2) Dueck, Judith, and Aída María Noval. "Supporting Document B. List of Index Terms" HURIDOCS Standard Formats: Supporting Documents. Oslo: HURIDOCS, 1993. 25-31.

(3) Aitchison, Jean, and International Refugee Documentation Network. International Thesaurus of Refugee Terminology. New York and Geneva: United Nations, 1996.

(4) Stormorken, Bjørn, and Leo Zwaak. Human Rights Terminology in International Law: A Thesaurus. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers; Human Rights Documentation Centre - Council of Europe, 1988.

(5) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Macrothesaurus for Information Processing in the Field of Economic and Social Development. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1998.

(6) Amnesty International. Information Services Department. Updated List of Amnesty International Keywords. London: Amnesty International, 2000.

(7) Red de Informática de Instituciones de Derechos Humanos de Chile. Glosario de Definiciones Operacionales de las Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos: edición trilingüe, español, francés, inglés. Santiago: Fundación de Ayuda Social de las Iglesias Cristianas - FASIC, 1991.