2 THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK AROUND TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS This section places the Trafficking Principles and Guidelines within the broader context of the international legal framework around trafficking. It also serves to introduce and clarify the relative position and significance of the various legal concepts, principles and instruments that will be referred to throughout this Commentary. The section commences with a short explanation of the various sources of international law. It then considers, in more detail, the major sources of international legal obligation relating to trafficking. 2.1. SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL OBLIGATION International law is the body of rules and principles that governs the relations and dealings of States with each other. International law imposes specific obligations on States and grants them specific rights, just as domestic law does with individuals. In some instances, international law has developed to cover relations between States and individuals, for example in international criminal law and international human rights law. custom and general principles of law.2 Subsidiary sources include the decisions of international tribunals. Each of these sources is defined and considered below in the specific context of the international legal framework around trafficking in persons. Treaties are dealt with first and most extensively because they are the main source of international legal obligation on this issue. 2.2. TREATIES RELEVANT TO TRAFFICKING Human trafficking is a complex issue that can be considered from a number of different perspectives including: human rights; crime control and criminal justice; migration; sexual exploitation and labour. This complexity is reflected in the wide range of relevant treaties that together comprise the codified (treaty-based) legal framework around trafficking. A small number of treaties, including several that have been concluded recently, deal exclusively with the issue of trafficking. Many more address one narrow aspect, an especially vulnerable group, or a particular manifestation of trafficking. The generally recognized sources of international law are set out in Article 38 (1) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. 2 There are several accepted “types” or sources of international law.� The primary sources are treaties, COMMENTARY 17