Individual Rights the Individual in Global Politics

7/31/2019 Individual Rights the Individual in Global Politics

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Individual Rights: The

Individual in GlobalPoliticsBy Mohamed Rizwan & Gerald Tham


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Human Rights?

Does everyone deserve basic human

rights?

Fundamental rights to which a

person is inherently entitled simplybecause she or he is a human being

Ex. Freedom of Religion, Speech,

Education, etc.


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In the Past

Sovereign states enjoyed unlimited legal power over those

living in their territory.

States treated individuals as subjects.

Domestic affairs of one country is not the business of

another country.


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In the Past

The idea of Human Rights was

not even brought about by states

or even people within states

(Except for a few scholars)

People only had rights if they were

granted it by the sovereign state

Ex. The US Constitution regardedslaves from Africa to be 3/5 of a

person.


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The Holocaust

January 30, 1933 to May 8, 1945.

The concept of Genocide was born

the eradication of an entire

people.

The extermination of Europes

Jewish people where 6 million

Jews died.

Gypsies, Gays, Socialists and Slavs

were not spared too.


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The Holocaust

Adolf Hitler was born and raised in

Austria.

He became active in Germanys right

wing anti-democratic movement.

He came to power in 1933 and it

marked the beginning of anti Jewish

policies. Ex. 1935 Nuremberg Law,German Jews were striped of their

citizenship.


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The Holocaust

Nazi Violence against Jews on

the night of November 9th

1938. The Kristallnacht.

1942, Decision to gas Jews inconcentration camps: Sobibor,

Treblinka, Auschwitz.

The discovery of the Holocaust death camps after the war,

produced shock and horror to the International community.


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The Nuremberg & Japanese

Trials They were the first of its kind as it was conducted by

International Tribunals

Jurists represented countries such as USA, USSR, Brittan &France

3 categories of Crime : Crime Against Peace, Crime Against

Humanity & War crimes

1948, Genocide Convention


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Other Genocides

Ethnic Cleanings in Yugoslavia

Rwanda Genocide

Civil war in Sierra Leone

Cambodias killing fields


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The International Criminal

Court Ad hoc tribunals were eating into UNs budget due to the costs

of facilitating these tribunals.

1998 meeting in Rome between 160 countries and 250 NGOs

to establish an International Court

ICC began functioning in 2002, currently is recognized by 121

countries.

USA & China has opposed the ICC due to the fear that

politically motivated charges could be brought to its citizens


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INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS UNDER

INTERNATIONAL LAW


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Sources of Human Rights

Universal natural law

Greek StoicismRoman law

Magna Carta

(UK)

Declaration of Independence (US)


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Sources of Human Rights

Cultural Relativism


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Human rights law

Treaties to protect civil, political,

economic, social and cultural rights


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Human rights law


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Why do abuses of human rights

occur?

Economic

Political

Social


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Non-governmental organisations


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WOMENS RIGHTS AS HUMAN

RIGHTS


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Gender inequality

Measures to evaluate:

Gender Empowerment Measure

Gender-related Development Index


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Forms of violence


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Reproductive independence

Autonomy and control over body

Challenge from religious leaders as a form of cultural

imperialism


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Equal rights

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women


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THANK YOU!

Documents

Individual Rights the Individual in Global Politics