Three categories of questions arise in a study of the accountability of the United Nations (UN) for violations of human rights. The first category is factual and empirical: does the UN violate human rights? If so, how? Which of its activities pose a greater risk of such violations? The second category comprises doctrinal questions: is the UN bound by international human rights law? What legal consequences follow from the breach by the UN of a rule of international human rights law? How can its obligations be enforced and compliance with them improved? The third category of questions is philosophical: how should we ideally limit the power of international organisations? Is the power shift from states to international organisations, and the weakening of the state that follows from it, a good thing?

The focus of this book is on the doctrinal questions. I do address some empirical and factual questions but not comprehensively. As for the philosophical ones, for the most part I limit myself to identifying them and stressing their importance.