Self-determination is commonly defined as peoples‘ free will to choose the course of their
national life. The United Nation‘s (UN) Charter was adopted in 1945 to ensure the right to
self-determination of all peoples as a means of maintaining international peace and security.
Since then, the UN has established the right to self-determination for many non-selfgoverning
peoples worldwide. Self-determination has come to be considered as a human right
because of the importance of ensuring and upholding other human rights for all global
citizens. Many international legal instruments have been developed to ensure the smooth
implementation of this right. The decolonisation process, which started just after the adoption
of the UN Charter, has also helped to develop many international legal instruments to address
and resolve any crisis related to the right to self-determination.