Human Rights: Exam 2

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)

Is a term used to refer to a person’s sexuality and gender identity, SOGI is used rather than LGBTQIA+ because it is more inclusive and covers a broader range of identities. SOGI is used in international human rights advocacy to address discrimination, promote legal protections, and recognize the SOGI rights of individuals.

Yogyakarta Principles

Adopted in 2006, these 29 principles outline how existing human rights laws apply to SOGI. Drafted by international human rights experts in Indonesia, they establish state obligations to prevent discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. They call for the decriminalization of homosexuality, legal gender recognition, and protections against discrimination.

natural family

This term is used in conservative discourse to describe a traditional family structure of a married heterosexual couple and their biological children. It is often invoked in opposition to legal recognition of same-sex families and non-traditional family structures.

heteronormativity

The belief that heterosexuality is the default or normal sexual orientation, leading to the marginalization of LGBTQ+ identities. This assumption underlies discrimination and exclusionary policies against non-heterosexual and gender-nonconforming individuals

United Nations Office of the Commissioner on Human Rights

Established in 1993, the OHCHR is the principal UN body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally. It monitors human rights violations, provides guidance to governments, and supports mechanisms like the Human Rights Council.

Raphael Lemkin

A Polish-Jewish lawyer who coined the term "genocide" after witnessing and surviving the holocaust. He was instrumental in the adoption of the Genocide Convention in 1948. His work laid the foundation for legal definitions and prosecution of crimes against humanity.

genocide

A word created by Raphael Lemkin and defined in the 1948 Genocide Convention, genocide is the intentional destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. It includes acts such as mass killing, forced sterilization, and preventing births within the group.

Genocide Convention

Formally known as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, this treaty was adopted by the UN in 1948. It legally defines genocide and obligates states to prevent and punish such crimes.

qualitative (studies)

Research methods that analyze non-numerical data such as interviews, case studies, and historical texts. These studies are essential in human rights research for understanding lived experiences, cultural contexts, and legal interpretations.

quantitative (studies)

Research that uses statistical data to analyze human rights trends, such as measuring rates of violence, discrimination, or inequality. It helps policymakers assess the effectiveness of human rights interventions

gacaca courts

The Gacaca courts were community-based tribunals in Rwanda, created in 2001 to address crimes committed during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. These courts aimed to promote truth-telling, reconciliation, and accountability by allowing local communities to participate in the justice process. While they helped process thousands of cases more quickly than traditional courts, critics argued they lacked due process protections and fair trial standards​.

truth commission

An official body established to investigate past human rights violations, often in post-conflict or transitional societies. These commissions document abuses, provide reparations, and recommend reform. For example, in Rwanda: Truth commissions were used to promote reconciliation between communities divided during the Rwandan genocide.

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

A UN-backed tribunal from 1994-2015 established to prosecute those responsible for the Rwandan genocide. It set legal precedents on crimes such as genocide, rape as a war crime, and crimes against humanity

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Created in 1993, this tribunal prosecuted war crimes committed during the Balkans conflicts of the 1990s. It was the first international tribunal since Nuremberg to hold individuals accountable for war crimes.

amnesty

A legal measure that grants forgiveness to individuals or groups for crimes, often in post-conflict transitions. While it can foster peace, amnesty is controversial when it shields perpetrators from accountability.

retributive justice

A legal approach that focuses on punishing perpetrators of human rights violations. It is based on the principle of accountability and deterrence, often pursued through criminal trials It was central to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which prosecuted individuals responsible for the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

restorative justice

A process that emphasizes repairing harm done to victims and communities rather than solely punishing perpetrators. Repairing harm is done by emphasizing dialogue and reconciliation. This approach was used in South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-2002) where victims and perpetrators engaged in testimony to acknowledge past crimes.

reparative justice

Focuses on compensating victims of human rights violations through financial reparations, public apologies, or policy changes. It aims to address the lasting effects of oppression and discrimination. One case was in 1988 Japanese American Redress Agreement, where the U.S. Congress awarded $20,000 to Japanese American who had been interened during WWII.

transitional justice

Legal and societal measures used to address past human rights abuses during a political transition, such as trials, truth commissions, and institutional reforms in governments undergoing political change. In post-apartheid South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995 investigated abuses, granted amnesty, and recommended reparations.

disappearance

The practice of state authorities or armed groups abducting individuals, often without acknowledgment or legal recourse. Enforced disappearances are considered a grave human rights violation. For example, during the Argentina’s Dirty War in 1976 an estimated 30,000 people disappeared under military rule.

internally displaced persons (IDPs)

People forced to flee their homes due to conflict, natural disasters, or persecution but who remain within their country's borders. Unlike refugees, IDPs lack international legal protections under refugee law.