What are the strategies for global governance of human rights

strategies for global governance of human rights

• attempts to change and modernise norms

• attempts to strengthen the rule of law

• the creation and application of international and national laws

• treaties or conventions established by supranational organisations such as the UN and regional unions such as ASEANS, ECOWAS, EU and NATO

• the role of UN peacekeeping operations in promoting and protecting human rights

• humanitarian intervention and humanitarian relief assistance

How the violation of HR can be a cause of conflict

Cause of conflict through through violation of human rights are complex and interrelated so often a combination of factors is involved which interact and reinforce each other

• denial of human needs e.g. food, housing, employment opportunities, education over long periods of time

• discrimination and denial of freedom

• unrepresentative government in which people are treated unequally or unjustly and excluded from decision-making

• oppressive governments that do not respect the needs of all groups

• genocide and torture

How violation of HR can be a consequence of conflict

• high incidence of mortality, of military involved in fighting and civilians in local communities nearby

• damage to homes and other property

• damage to infrastructure, including transport systems, hospitals, schools and tele-communications

• the impact on food and water supply

• displacement of populations and effects of internal and international refugee migration

• exploitation of women

• further ethnic cleansing

The role of flows of people, money, ideas, and technology in geopolitical intervention

Exchange of ideas and information is important for effective intervention

• the UNHRC employs experts and groups to promote ideas and values in places where HR abuses are perpetrated

• OHCHR provides education and training for civilian law enforcement and judicial officials to strengthen legal frameworks

• Many NGOs such as Amnesty help raise awareness about HR abuses by publishing information

• technologies e.g. social media are being used to help flows of ideas and information in the intervention process and satellites can be used to surveillance areas which are too dangerous for conventional observation

• NGOs working in Haiti are funded by $5 billion in foreign aid

How HR are promoted and protected by institutions, treaties, laws and norms

Strategies to promote and protect Hr are put in place by organisations at a supranational scale, such as the UN, and at a regional scale such as ASEAN, by national governments and NGOs

The United Nations

• is an intergovernmental organisation with 193 member states, each agreeing to accept the obligations of the UN charter

• many agencies are involved in promoting and protecting HR

• the security council deals with grave HR violations, often in conflict areas

NGOs

• in areas of conflict their work on the ground can involve monitoring and providing early warning of new violence, modification of social norms through education, training in practical skills etc.

Treaties and laws

• treaties are formal, written agreements between groups and countries which are binding in international and national law

• e.g. the convention on the rights of the child

• a combination of legal and practical instruments is used for protection of HR and is the co-ordination of strategies by different organisations operating at different scales which provides the most effective global governance