International Human Rights

Do Western Human Rights Speak For All?

Human RightsRecognition of human rights first began in the times of war and civil strife

Spread of colonialism raised issues about the status of minorities

In Western societies, the status of women led to debates regarding their political rights

Industrialisation in the 19th century led to regulation of factory working conditions (with thanks to Unions)

Therefore the struggle for Human Rights recognition has taken a long road

Human RightsTension exists between the concept of inalienable individual rights and state sovereignty

States had traditionally opposed the idea that international norms be accepted over and above state policy

Currently, the notion that human rights are in fact ‘natural’ has gained acceptance (in Western societies)

The World Wars and the trauma inflicted upon people before and after them led to the adoption by the UN and other institutions of norms that are central to international law

UDHRUniversal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

Its role is to act as a proponent of international law- not everyone agrees or abides

Individuals can complain to the United National Human Rights Committee if they feel their government is violating their natural rights

Some of Canada’s laws have been found to be incompatible with international rights obligations- Waldman vs. Canada (Catholic school funding)

Long story short, the idea of Human rights is almost exclusively a Western culture notion

Western vs. Eastern/African Rights

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African Charter of Human and People’s Rights- emphasis on community and familial obligations

Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights

Very subtle but important differences

Regulation of International Behaviour

International Law is often aimed at states rather than individuals

How do we regulate and punish corporations who break international norms?

Child labour? Equal Treatment access? Bio-ethics? Ethics in Chemical trade? Nuclear Proliferation?

INTERPOL- world’s police force- focus on stopping individuals who commit transnational crime

190 members of INTERPOL

Criminal ProsecutionSpecial Criminal Tribunals- prosecute people accused of committing violations of human rights on a massive scale

Ad Hoc (example- International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and Yugoslavia)

2002 UN members states ratified a permanent International Criminal Court

International Criminal Court- awesome stuff, prosecute major players in war crimes

not awesome- USA, China and Russia have not and will not ratify this statute