The historical evolution of the right of conscientious objection to military service in the UN human rights system: 1950-2017

This paper discusses the emergence and historic development of the right to conscientious objection to military service within the United Nations framework for the protection of human rights, through the drafting history of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966. It further explores conscientious objection as a fundamental aspect of the right to manifest one’s thought, conscience and religion and it outlines the jurisprudence of the UN Human Rights Committee in relation to conscientious objection to military service from 1981 to 2017 to illustrate the Committee’s current approach and steps to ensure compliance with international human rights standards. This paper contributes to academic knowledge by exploring the semantic restraints of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the delay of the UN human rights system in adopting a more liberal approach to the interpretation of the Covenant.