HIST391 final

Status of a UN convention vs. UN declaration

A UN convention is a formal agreement among member states that is legally binding and requires ratification, countries must enact laws to adhere to its provisions.

a UN declaration is a non-binding resolution that serves as a guideline for member states, often reflecting consensus on principles or rights but lacking enforceability.

• conventions address specific issues in detail and create obligations

• express aspirations and promote standards.

Socio-economic rights

fundamental human rights that ensure individuals have access to essential social and economic necessities required for a dignified life.

rights to adequate housing, healthcare, education, food, and employment.

• guarantee an acceptable standard of living and facilitate participation in the economic, social, and cultural life of society

• emphasize the importance of government responsibility in creating conditions for the realization of these rights, as well as the obligation to implement policies that combat poverty and promote social welfare.

Political rights

Rights that ensure individuals have the capacity to participate in the political process, which includes the right to vote, the right to run for public office, and the right to access information about government actions.

• essential for the functioning of a democracy as they empower citizens to influence government policies, voice their opinions, and hold leaders accountable.

• These rights also encompass freedoms of speech, assembly, and association, allowing individuals to express their political views and engage in collective action.

Living wage

A wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living.

Neoliberalism

An economic ideology that advocates for the promotion of free markets, minimal government intervention in the economy, and the importance of individual entrepreneurial freedoms. It emphasizes deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and fiscal austerity. Neoliberalism emerged in the late 20th century as a response to perceived failures in Keynesianism,

created to argue that free market principles lead to more efficient resource allocation, economic growth, and personal liberty.

John Maynard Keynes

An economist known for his theories on the relationship between unemployment, inflation, and government intervention.

thought that government should involve itself during economic downturns

Rights-based public budgeting

Budgeting that prioritizes allocation based on the realization of human rights.

resources should be directed to health care, education, social services

• enhance human dignity is the goal

Gender-responsive budgeting

A budgeting approach that takes into account the different impacts of financial allocations on men and women.

It aims to promote gender equality by ensuring that budgetary policies address the specific needs and priorities of all genders, thereby enhancing equitable access to resources and opportunities.

Tax justice

The concept that taxes should be fair, transparent, and contribute to social equity.

Tax justice emphasizes equitable tax systems that address income inequality and ensure that all individuals contribute fairly to public goods and services.

Justiciable

Capable of being decided by a court of law.

Justiciable rights are those that can be enforced in a court, allowing individuals to seek legal remedies for violations.

• determines if a legal argument can be presented in court

• legal arguments could have to do with violations of human rights etc.

Self-determination

The right of people to determine their own political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

Self-determination is the principle that enables individuals or groups to make decisions regarding their governance, identity, and future, free from external influence or coercion.

Woodrow Wilson

The 28th President of the United States known for his role in the creation of the League of Nations.

played a part after WWI, he wanted to promote democracy, self determination, and international cooperation

V.I. Lenin

A Russian revolutionary leader known for his role in the Bolshevik Revolution and establishment of the USSR.

he advocated for the marxist state and the dictatorship of the proletariat, emphasizing the need for a vanguard party to lead the working class in overthrowing capitalism.

League of Nations

An intergovernmental organization founded after World War I to promote peace and cooperation amongst nations to prevent future conflicts

aiming to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, rather than warfare — in efforts to reduce likelihood of war

Kwame Nkrumah

served as the first Prime Minister and later as the President of Ghana from 1957 until 1966.

passionate advocacy for African independence and unity

• emphasizing the importance of self-governance and the eradication of colonial rule

• promoted the idea that African nations must work collaboratively to achieve political and economic empowerment.

UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (1960)

UN General Assembly Resolution 1514, adopted on December 14, 1960, is a pivotal declaration that asserted the fundamental right to self-determination for all nations and peoples.

It proclaimed the necessity of granting independence to colonial countries and peoples,

• emphasized the need to dismantle colonial rule.

• resolution declared colonialism a violation of human rights and urging member states to take action for decolonization.

Common Article 1 of the two covenants on human rights in 1966

affirms the fundamental right of all peoples to self-determination, recognizing their liberty to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

all people can establish their governance without external interference, allowing them to make decisions that reflect their aspirations and identities.

basis for decolonization, reinforcing the principles of equality and non-discrimination in international law.

Non-self-governing territories

Areas that have not yet attained full self-governing status. These territories may be administered by another country or have special arrangements with a governing authority.

Non-self-governing territories often seek independence or greater autonomy and are recognized by the United Nations as requiring assistance in achieving self-determination as outlined in the UN Charter.

East Timor referendum on self-determination in 1999

the people of East Timor were given the opportunity to choose between greater autonomy within Indonesia or full independence.

The referendum was a result of years of conflict and international pressure. most chose independence

Following the vote, widespread violence erupted, leading to significant humanitarian crises and international intervention, ultimately resulting in East Timor's formal independence from Indonesia in 2002.

Nation-state

A political entity characterized by a defined territory, a permanent population, and a government.

UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948

An international treaty aimed at preventing genocide and ensuring punishment for perpetrators.

Raphael Lemkin

A lawyer who coined the term 'genocide' and was instrumental in the Genocide Convention.

The idea of permanent security according to Dirk Moses

A perspective suggesting that security should be an ongoing priority to prevent atrocities.

The hierarchy of crimes, with genocide understood as ‘the crime of crimes’

A legal framework that positions genocide as the most severe crime under international law.

hierarchy of crimes

Indian Residential Schools

Institutions in Canada aimed at assimilating Indigenous children, causing significant cultural disruption.

Sixties Scoop

A period in Canada where Indigenous children were removed from their families and placed in non-Indigenous homes.

Shognosh

A term related to Indigenous cultural practices or identity.

Civilian immunity

The principle that civilians should not be targeted during armed conflict.

3 kinds of genocide as mentioned in the Secretariat Draft: cultural, biological, and physical

Different categories of genocide that involve the destruction of cultural, biological, and physical aspects of a group.

Principle of proportionality

A legal principle that limits the use of force in armed conflict to what is necessary to achieve a legitimate military objective.

Principle of distinction

A principle in International Humanitarian Law requiring parties to distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Military necessity

A principle allowing for the use of force only when it is necessary to achieve a legitimate military purpose.

Kreigsraison

A German term meaning 'military necessity', justifying military action.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

A set of rules that seek to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons.

The four Geneva Conventions of 1949

Treaties that establish standards for humanitarian treatment in war.

Crimes Against Humanity

Severe acts committed against civilians as a part of a widespread or systematic practice.

War Crimes

Serious breaches of the laws of war that can lead to individual criminal responsibility.

Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907

International treaties that codified laws regarding warfare.

Martens Clause

A provision in the laws of war stating that in cases not covered by existing laws, civilians and combatants remain under the protection of principles of humanity.

Henri Dunant

A humanitarian activist and founder of the International Red Cross.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

A humanitarian institution that helps protect and assist victims of armed conflict.

Nuremberg Tribunal

Military tribunals held to prosecute war crimes following World War II.

Rome Statute (1998)

The treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC).

International Criminal Court

A permanent international tribunal to prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Russian Revolution of 1917

A revolution that led to the rise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Russian Empire.

USSR’s emphasis on two kinds of rights: socio-economic rights and right of national self-determination

A focus on the rights to social and economic welfare and self-governance for national groups.

Comintern (The Communist International)

An international organization founded to promote worldwide communism.

Soviet policy of Korenizatsiia (Indigenization)

A policy aimed at integrating and promoting local nationalities within the Soviet Union.

Alexander Esenin-Volpin

A Russian mathematician and dissident who advocated for a democratic movement in the USSR.

Andrei Sakharov

A Soviet physicist and human rights activist known for his dissidence.
known for countering soviets authoritative policies

witnessed the destructiveness of nuclear weapons and wanted no more of the USSR

Helsinki Accords of 1975

An agreement aimed at improving relations between Eastern and Western Europe.

Helsinki Watch

A human rights organization that monitors compliance with the Helsinki Accords.

Decommodification Rights

The rights that facilitate access to resources and services outside of market dependencies.

Struggle concepts

Ideas and strategies focused on achieving social justice and rights.

W.E.B. Du Bois

An African-American sociologist and civil rights activist, co-founder of the NAACP.

Jim Crow

A system of racial segregation laws enacted in the Southern United States.

Civil Rights Congress

An organization that aimed to promote civil rights and racial equality in America.

NAACP

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization.

founded 1909

combat racial discrimination and advance justice for African Americans. The NAACP has played a pivotal role in advocating for civil rights, fighting segregation, and challenging systemic racism through legal action, education, and public policy.

Eleanor Roosevelt

An American political figure, diplomat, and activist, known for her role in advancing human rights.

Martin Luther King Jr.

A civil rights leader advocating nonviolent resistance against racial segregation.

Rosa Parks

An activist known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A landmark piece of legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

We Charge Genocide petition to the UN in 1951

A petition claiming that the U.S. government engaged in genocide against African Americans.

Racial covenants

Agreement stipulating that property could not be sold to certain racial groups.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another.

Securofeminism

A feminist approach that addresses security concerns from a gender perspective.

Gender-Based Violence Against Women (GBVAC)

Violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman.

UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979

A human rights treaty that focuses on ending discrimination against women.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989

A treaty that aims to protect the rights of children worldwide.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006

An international treaty that protects the rights of persons with disabilities.

TWAIL African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

A regional African human rights treaty focusing on children's rights.

Section 377 of penal codes of British colonies

A law that criminalized homosexual acts, seen as 'against the order of nature'.

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)

An international organization advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.

2SLGBTQI+

An acronym encompassing two-spirited, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and intersex identities.

Bayard Rustin

An African-American civil rights leader and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Yogyakarta Principles

A set of international principles affirming the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals.

The UN General Assembly has passed neither a declaration nor a convention yet on SOGI rights

Indicates that formal international recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity rights remains incomplete.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, promulgated in 1982

A constitutional document guaranteeing the rights and freedoms of all Canadians.

The Canadian Supreme Court began ruling in 1984 on cases that determine whether laws accord with the principles of the Charter.

Indicates the judiciary's role in interpreting and enforcing constitutional rights in Canada.

Sixties Scoop

A period in Canada where Indigenous children were taken from their families and placed in non-Indigenous homes.

“White Paper,” 1969, Canada

A government document proposing to eliminate the special legal status of Indigenous peoples.

“The Cobo Report.” Written by Ambassador José Martinez Cobo of Ecuador in the 1970s

A global study on discrimination against Indigenous peoples, issued by the UN in 1982-83.

International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), founded in 1974

An organization aimed at asserting and protecting Indigenous treaty rights.

World Council on Indigenous Peoples, founded in Port Alberni, British Columbia, in 1975

An organization advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide.

NGO conference in Geneva in 1977

A conference addressing discrimination against Indigenous populations in the Americas.

The UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP), established in 1982

A UN entity dedicated to addressing the rights and issues of Indigenous peoples.

working

Rigoberta Menchú

A Guatemalan K'iche' Maya woman who is a human rights activist and Nobel laureate.

She has worked to combat discrimination, marginalization, and systemic oppression faced by Indigenous communities in Guatemala and globally.

• Her activism highlights issues such as land rights, cultural preservation, and social justice.

• Her father, mother, and two brothers were killed by government forces for resisting military oppression and advocating for Indigenous rights

UNDRIP, 2007

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

highlights their equality to rights, collective and individual rights and recognizes them — emphasizing equality and inclusion

Plural sovereignty

A concept recognizing multiple forms of governance and authority among Indigenous nations.

This idea challenges traditional notions of sovereignty, which often emphasize a single, centralized authority, such as a nation-state or a monarch.

acknowledges that sovereignty can be distributed among different entities or groups, each with its own recognized authority.

eg. one can recognize indigenous sovereignty and that of the state