human rights content

Created by

olivia thorley

Cards (48)

human rights 
basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled
applicable at all times and in all places, and protect everyone equally without discrimination
universal declaration of human rights - udhr 
adopted by UN general assembly in 1948
example statements
article 5 - no one shall be treated to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment
article 9 - no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile
globalisation and contradictory impacts on human rights
transnational integration and increased mobility have both strengthened and diminished protection of human rights
enhanced ability of civil society to work across borders and promote human rights
enabled organisation to gain power and perpetrate violations
human rights norms 
represent ways of living that have been inculcated into culture of a country or area over long periods of time
these norms are based on moral principles underpinning universally accepted standards of human behaviour
UN convention on rights of the child
most widely ratified international treaty
designed to change ways in which children are viewed and treatment
nevertheless there are still significant global variations in deaths of young children, most of which could be prevented
human rights intervention  
includes use of military force by a state or group of states in a foreign territory in order to end gross violation of fundamental human rights
= humanitarian intervention
also includes economic sanctions and international criminal prosecution, alongside NGO's, private enterprises and activists
UN security council is only body that can legally authorise use of force
UN involvement takes many forms and its peacekeeping, political and peace building missions serve many purposes
UN coordinates with wide range of agencies and organisations such as 
UN agencies
UN high commissioner for refugees
world health organisation
UN children fund (UNICEF)
regional organisations
north atlantic treaty organisation (NATO)
ASEAN
non governmental organisations
international committee of the red cross
oxfam
public-private partnerships
gavi alliance
geopolitics 
global balance of political power and international relations
pattern of political power closely related to economic power especially in terms of relative wealth and international trade strength of nations and groups of nations
contemporary geopolitical power is spatially uneven and viewed from different perspectives:
usa is only superpower both militarily and politically
inequalities in power between individual states depending on wealth, political strength and development, with AC's being the most powerful
supranational political and economic organisations such as UN, ASEAN and OPEC which exert greater geopolitical influence than their individual member states
effects of globalisation where MNCS have considerable influence on countries where they invest
geopolitics of intervention in human rights issues requires understanding of:
political composition of groups of countries and organisations involved in the intervention
nature of intervention itself
reasons why intervention deemed necessary
characteristic features of the country, government and peoples affected
possible political, socio-economic and environmental consequences
complexity of human rights issues and their spatial patterns
current spatial patterns of FORCED LABOUR
forced labour = ranging from physical and sexual violence or threats to more subtle means such as withholding wages or documents
estimated 25 million victims globally, 4.9 million in sexual exploitation, 4.1 million from in forced labour imposed by state authorities
global distribution is uneven with Southeast asia having highest overall incidence
current spatial patterns of forced labour - examples of forced labour globally 
garment making in south asia
digging for minerals in africa
harvesting tomatoes in north america
farm workers in latin america
construction in gulf states
economic factors influencing global variations of forced labour
poverty
lack of economic opportunities and unemployment
low wages
subsistence farming
migration and seeking work
political factors influencing global variations of forced labour
political instability
conflict
breakdown of rule of law
state sponsorship of modern slavery
high levels of discrimination and prejudice
social factors influencing global variations of forced labour
gender inequality
age, especially children
entire families enslaved through bonded labour
women and children trafficking for sexual exploitation
indigenous people
environmental factors influencing global variations of forced labour
escaping climate related disasters including food and water shortages
hazardous working conditions in open mines
current spatial patterns of maternal mortality rate
'death of a women while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management" per 100,000 live births
2017 = 295,000 women died globally, most of which in developing countries
worst affected in sub-saharan africa, south sudan = 1150 per 100,000 compared to belarus with 2
overall global MMR reduction of 39%
regionally greatest reduction was in southeast asia at 58%
factors influencing global variations of MMR
access to treatments for pregnancy and birth complications, especially emergency care
quality of medical services, especially provision of skilled attendance at birth
level of political commitment and government investment
availability of information and education
cultural beliefs, practics and discrimination
poverty
why is maternal mortality rate a human rights issue
vast majority of deaths could've been prevented
protected by:
convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women
international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights
various regional treaties and laws in individual states
current spatial patterns of capital punishment
death penalty is denial of of most basic of human rights - right to life
UN general assembly calls for end to death penalty
2018 - 690 global executions and 2500 people sentenced to death in 54 countries
2019 - at least 20,000 people known to be under sentence of death
factors influencing global variations of capital punishment 
differences between countries in range and types of crimes for which it is imposed
incidence of its legality under national law
increase in number of countries abolishing it
reinstatement in some countries for threats due to state security and public safety posed by terrorism
number of commutations and pardons
variations in womens rights
gender inequality = unequal treatment of individuals based on gender
global patterns are closely related to disparities in respect for rights of women
demonstrated by GGGI (global gender gap index) with countries closest to value 1 having greater gender equality. highest = iceland at 0.877 lowest = yemen at 0.494
fastest rate of gender gap closure in western europe and slowest in middle east and north africa, with closure being fastest in health and survival, and lowest in political empowerment
remaining challenges demonstrating complexity and contested nature of gender inequality
forced marriage, often involving children
trafficking into forced labour, including sex slavery
access to education and health care
employment opportunities and political participation
wage equality for similar work to men
violence against women
access to reproductive services
economic participation and opportunity factors used to create GGGI
labour force participation
wage equality for similar work
estimated earner income
legislators, senior officials and managers
professional and technical workers
educational attainment factors used to create GGGI
literacy rate
enrolment in primary education
enrolment in secondary education
enrolment in tertiary education
health and survival factors used to create GGGI
sex ratio at birth ( female / male )
healthy life expectancy
political empowerment factors used to create GGGI
women in parliament
women in ministerial positions
years with female head of state
economic, political and social factors explaining variation in patterns of gender equality - educational opportunity  
gender inequality in education tends to favour males
significant improvements in female enrolment, especially under MDG, to achieve universal primary education and SDG for equitable quality education
challenges remain and girls still suffer disadvantages and exclusion in education in poorer countries, in particular rural areas and among rural poor
obstacles to female participation in secondary school participation greatest in sub-saharan africa and south asia
economic, political and social factors explaining variation in patterns of gender equality - educational opportunity  
female education key to empowering women and achieving gender equality in all respects
helps women move into labour market and increase production capacity of labour force
in countries where there has been increasing educational equality = population growth and infant mortality rates fallen
family health and child nutrition improved and there has been significant poverty reduction
factors influencing female educational participation in developing countries
costs may prohibit all children in family continuing in secondary education - usually girls suffer
household obligations often fall to eldest girl when family burden of work increases because of male migration
negative classroom environments
inadequate sanitation in schools
insufficient numbers of female teachers
impacts of girls being exploited for child labour
prevalence of child marriage / pregnancy
inadequate legislation and government investment
factors affecting female reproductive health in developing countries
early forced marriage
high rates of young pregnancy
sexually transmitted diseases
harmful traditional practices, especially FGM
forced sterilisation or abortion
sexual violence
gender bias in education / access to information
lack of empowerment in family sizing / spacing of pregnancies
economic, political and social factors explaining variation in patterns of gender equality - access to reproductive health services 
female reproductive health rights violated when women and girls are denied access to health care services
girls and young women in developing countries most at risk
economically and socially disadvantaged women less likely to gain access to health services, information and education, and less likely to become empowered to negotiate safer sex and decide on family size and spacing
economic, political and social factors explaining variation in patterns of gender equality - access to reproductive health services 
girls in poor communities face additional obstacles of early marriage and early child bearing
UNICEF - in sub-saharan africa 12% of females were married before age of 15 and 37% before 18
education ends, job prospects diminish, become more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion, health suffers and maternal mortality rates are the highest for that age category
economic, political and social factors explaining variation in patterns of gender equality - employment opportunity 
right of both genders to have equal access to employment opportunities
ratio of female to labour force participation rate used to show this
Rwanda = 100.8 showing greater female participation than male
Iraq = 17.1 showing limited female access to labour market relative to men
countries with high HDI have high female participation, but none have achieved female-male employment parity
factors affecting global patterns of gender equality in employment opportunity
social norms
cultural beliefs and practices of religious / social groups
levels of governmental and company support for childcare
degrees to which equal opportunity is safeguarded by law
social acceptance of women as contributors to income
gender based norms shaping educational and job decisions
levels of discrimination by employers
strategies for global governance of human rights
attempts to change/modernise norms
work of NGO's, private organisations and human rights activists
influence of MNCs in terms of corporate social responsibility
creation / application of international and national laws
attempts to strengthen rule of law
treaties / conventions established by supranational organisations such as UN and regional unions such as ASEAN and NATO
work of various UN agencies
role of UN peacekeeping operations
humanitarian / military involvement
how can violations of human rights be a cause of conflict
denial of human needs such as food, housing, employment opportunity and long term limited access to education
discrimination and denial of freedom in undemocratic society
unrepresentative government in which people are treated unequally or unjustly and excluded from decision making
oppressive governments that do not respect needs of all groups
genocide and torure
how can conflict cause violations of human rights
high incidence of mortality, of military involved in fighting and civilians
damage to homes and other property
damage to infrastructure, including transport systems, hospitals, schools and tele-communications
impact on food and water supply
displacement of populations including effects of internal and international refugee migration
exploitation of women and children
ethnic cleansing
role of flows of ideas in geopolitical intervention
exchange of ideas and information at planning and operation stage is important for effective intervention
UNHRC employs experts, rapporteurs, special reps and working groups to promote ideas and values
OHCHR provides education and training for civilian law enforcement and judicial officials to strengthen legal frameworks
NGO's publish information on human rights abuses to raise awareness
international organisations at conferences share ideas and information on course of action
role of flows of technology in geopolitical intervention  
technology aids flows of ideas and information
widespread use of ICT including internet and mobile phones are important in communications
technology such as remote sensing using satellite imagery and unmanned aircraft are used for surveillance in areas that are too inaccessible or dangerous