Self-Determination at the ICJ
How the Court has defined and applied the right of peoples to self-determination.
Self-Determination in International Law
The right of peoples to self-determination is enshrined in the UN Charter and the two International Covenants on Human Rights. The ICJ has played a crucial role in developing this right through advisory opinions and contentious cases. The Court has addressed self-determination in the context of decolonization, occupation, and the relationship between territorial integrity and peoples' rights.
Self-determination is not simply the right to independence. The ICJ has recognized it as a right of peoples to freely determine their political status and pursue economic, social, and cultural development. This can mean independence, but it can also mean integration with another state, free association, or any other political status freely determined by the people.
