Ch. 4 - Social Change and Quality of Life

Human Rights

• The basic rights to which people are entitled

• Granted to every person, everywhere in the world

• Protected by international law (e.g. UN, treaties)

Civil Rights

• Citizens or legal residents of a particular country

• Protected by national law and government institutions

The Development of Human Rights - Key Documents - The Cyrus Cylinder

• Created by the Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE. Discovered in modern day Iraq in 1879.

• Promoted religious and ethnic tolerance.

• Credited as the world’s first charter of human rights

The Development of Human Rights - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Adopted December 10th, 1948

• Consists of 30 articles (sections)

• Created a common standard of rights for all people and all nations

Human Rights - Characteristics

1. Universal: Applies to everyone equally

2. Inherent: Part of your nature as a human being and belong to you from birth

3. Inalienable: Cannot be taken away/surrendered

Charter

A grant/guarantee of rights, powers, privileges from ann authority

The Development of Human Rights - Key Documents - The Magna Carta

• Signed by King John of England on June 15,1215

• Designed to limit power of gov’n

• Foundation for modern legal and human rights principals

International Organizations and Human Rights - The United Nations - Overview

• Founded in 1945

• 193 member states. 6 official languages.

• Goals: Defend human rights, promote peace, security, and international cooperation

International Organizations and Human Rights - The United Nations - Structure

1. General Assembly

2. Security Council

3. Economic and Social Council

4. Trusteeship Council

5. The International Court of Justice

6. Secretariat

The United Nations - Structure - The General Assembly

• 193 member states. Represented equally, (one country, one vote)

• Main deliberative body

• Forum for general debate and discussion

• Passes resolutions

Resolutions

Formal decisions or expressions of opinion

“We think this is important”

Declarations

Non-binding statements that express collective goals or principles

“These are the shared values and rights we agree on”

Conventions

Legally binding treaties that countries sign and ratify

“Now let’s commit to legal action”

War and Human Rights - International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

• Laws/rules that protect non-combatants

• Restricts the means/methods of warfare

• The Geneva Conventions main source

International Humanitarian Law - Key Principles

1. Humanity

2. Distinction

3. Proportionality

4. Military Necessity

International Humanitarian Law - Principles - Distinction

Distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants/military objectives and civilian objects

International Humanitarian Law - Principles - Necessity

Limiting the use of force to what is necessary to achieve a legitimate military objective

International Humanitarian Law - Principles - Proportionality

Ensuring that the military advantage gained by an attack is proportional to the harm inflicted on civilians and civilian property

International Humanitarian Law - Principles - Humanity

Prohibiting unnecessary suffering and protecting those who are not, or no longer, participants

Genocide

Acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group

Characteristics of Genocide

1. Intent to destroy a group (i.e., Dolus specialis)

2. Targeting a protected group

3. Committing an enumerated act

Genocide: Characteristics of - Enumerated Acts

1. Killing members of the group

2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm

3. Deliberately inflicting conditions of life to destroy the group

4. Imposing measures to prevent births within the group

5. Forcibly transferring children to another group

Patriarchy

A social system where men have more power than women

The Rwandan Genocide

• April 7th - July 15th. 1994

• Genocide against the Tustsi by Hutu extremist government and militias

• 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus victims

Systems

Organized sets of rules, practices, and institutions (i.e., How society operates)

Structures

The way power, roles, and resources are arranged in society (i.e., Who holds power and who doesn’t)

Characteristics of Patriarchy

1. Male dominance in leadership and authority

2. Reinforcement of traditional gender roles

3. Limited access to education and employment opportunities for women

4. Emphasis on “masculine” traits/characteristics

5. Limited female autonomy

6. Violence against women