Case studies - Health, Human rights and Intervention Flashcards
(35 cards)
Health and life expectancy
Over 65, with exceptions in some African countries - closely linked to economic development
Factors affecting:
Social = Food, safe water, sanitation, healthcare
Developed world = Lifestyle risks and most recent research into modern-day living risks… smoking, alcohol, obesity etc
Within countries = Ethnicity, healthcare (postcode lottery), poverty and deprivation, socio-economic group
Comparison of human rights and economic development
Economic Growth:
China’s GDP = $14.1bn, per capita = $10,100
India’s GDP = $2.9bn, per capita = $2,200
Human Rights:
China = Authoritarian government, many human rights abuses
India = Democracy, broadly starting to respect human rights
Corruption
Zimbabwe under the leader Robert Mugabe.
Zimbabwe had times of great wealth and influence.
Howeverduring the 80’s and 90’s the stories of corruption and Human Rights violations were rife.
Land reform – in the case of Zimbabwe; redistributing land from white colonials to black Zimbabweans – much of the ‘better’ land went to Mugabe supporters and the process was found to be corrupt.
Inqualities
Women’s rights in Afghanistan:
Women in Afghanistan were first given the vote in 1919 (one yr after the UK). Since the 1980s and 90s and under the Taliban rule, rights for women have gradually been withdrawn and the Taliban version of Islamic Law has been enforced. Rights for women was cited as a justification for US invasion following the 9/11 attacks.
Aboriginals in Australia:
Immigration policy has been discriminatory in the past but is much improved, although still heavily regulated. However, still concerns over refugees, rights of disabled people and treatment of indigenous Aborigines.
Post Second World War = ‘white only’ policy to stop Chinese miners and Pacific Island labourers
Whilst still carefully controlled to this day, it has become a multicultural area with a rich mix of ethnic groups
However there are three areas for concern:
1. Treatment of asylum seekers and refugees
2. Protecting the rights of disabled people
3. Treatment of the Aboriginal people
Organisations involved in intervention
IGOs = World bank, WTO, IMF
Aid - short and long term
Haiti
Resources
Oil in the Niger Delta
Land grabs in Kenya
Historical change over time
Collapse of the USSR
USSR = A single party state governed by the communist party
- union of 15 subnational republics
- controlled ‘satellite countries’ in Eastern Europe
- all these nations had communist governments
- 1980 = satellite countries shook off Soviet Control
- 1989 = Fall of the Berlin Wall (It was pulled down)
- previously separated communist East Berlin from capitalist West Berlin due to the peace treaty that had ended the second world war saw the whole of Germany divided into two
- the fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for Germanys reunification
- 1991 = USSR split into 15 countries
- achieved without any military intervention or bloodshed
- all that is left is The Russian Federation and political power lies with Putin since 2000
China economic growth
- GDP in 1976 = 124th in the world
- 2019 = 2nd largest economy US$13.6 trillion
- Population = 0.9bn in 1976 to 1.4bn now
- GDP today = 66th place
- Communist
- Success at the cost of human rights
- 2015 = ‘economic miracle’ slowed and sharpened the focus on human rights
Ebola in Africa
- first reported = 2014
- discovered = 1976
- 18 months after first case = 12,000 dead from disease
- bulk of deaths in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea
- UNMEER set up = 6 months after
- purpose = coordinate the international response of NGO (such as the IMF)
- as a result there was a sharp fall during first half of 2015
- however, still spread due to fear of reporting, fatigue of the stringent precautions and denial by the hardcore population
- declared ebola free in January 2016
Military intervention
Libya
Libya – Overthrow of Gaddafi in 2011. Gaddafi and his supporters were thought to be involved in terrorist activity.. Including the Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Abuse of Human Rights within Libya… situation still rumbles on with opposing factions disputing power.
A recent example was the overthrow of president Gaddafi in Libya in 2011
They were guilty of abusing the human rights of many Libyan civilians in the course of maintaining their political grip on the country
A multi state coalition began military intervention in the form of an arms embargo and the imposition of a ‘no fly zone’ over the whole of Libya
This meant Gaddafi could not conduct airstrikes against those whic were trying to dislodge him from power
This did not involve sending troops, but air strikes were undertaken by British and drench air forces against Libyan army tanks and vehicles, and they secured the country’s air space ads well as its inshore waters so that there was no external support for Gaddafi’s forces
Gaddafi was deposed in 2011 but, since then - as in many of the countries involved in the Arab Spring - the removal of one regime has so destabilised the situation that rebel factions or militias are now fighting one another to gain the political upper hand
War on Terror
The ongoing campaign by the USA and its allies to counter international terrorism, initiated by al-qaeda’s attacks on the world trade centre in New York and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001
Land Grabs in Kenya - resources
caused by the irregular privatisation of public land - started by president Moi during his long term office (1978-2002) as a resource to use as bribes
85% of country relies on agriculture for livelihood
88% of population have access to less than 3 hectares of land
Oil resources in the Niger Delta
Background:
- British oil companies shell and bp were granted oil exploration in 1938
Pros:
- The nigerian government gained £10 billion a year from oil revenues
Cons:
- negligence from oil companies has led to feelings from locals that they have been cheated both environmentally and economically
- local people have barely benefitted from oil industry, rather they have suffered from environmental issues that impact their traditional means of livelihood (fishing and farming)
- infrastructure remains poor
root of problem is that the population of the delta is made up of many minority ethnic groups and the oil revenues are only going to the major ethnic groups, the yoruba
- major environmental impacts due to unattended oil spills as well as gas flares and frequent fires
Consequences:
- militant groups formed
- tensions rising and outbreak of violent protests are increasing
Why is Bolivia a mixed success in terms of development progress?
President Morales = Indigenous himself
He is focusing on improving economic stability for the marginalised indigenous people
However, this is at the extent of neglecting female human rights
What are the top three countries receiving country-specific development aid from the UK?
Ukraine, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
What is an example of Torture and Rendition?
Torture and Rendition– EG: Guantanamo Bay
The UDHR states that no one should be tortured.. Countries that use torture undermine the HR and thereforetheir justification for military intervention… The USA has been accused of Human Rights abuses in therenditions of suspected war criminals to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Torture and CID (Cruel, Inhumane andDegrading treatment)
What is an example of Military Intervention in the Middle East?
IS (Islamic State) in theMiddle East.
The IS are a radical Sunni Islamist group who have roots in Al-Quaedia. At times, IS have forcibly taken control over large areas of the middle east, performed terrorist acts against the ‘West’ and claim all is in defense of Islam (jihad).
There have been numerous military interventions from a number of groups and nations including the Islamic Military counter terrorism Coalition and many western countries including the UK, USA, France, Canada and Denmark.
Much of the intervention has been in defence of HR violations and huge risks to large numbers of innocent civilians. Intervention continues as the situation is still unstable – with much of the activity well concealed ‘underground’. Sometimes referred to as ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria).
What happened in The Arab Spring of 2011?
The Arab Spring of 2011 involved a number of countries overthrowing corrupt leaders/governments in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
Some of this unrest is due to the animosity between the Sunni and Shia Muslims.
China’s population now compared to 1976
1.4bn compared to 0.9bn
2015 in China
‘Economic Miracle’ showed the first signs of slowing down
By this time many Chinese people had come to enjoy consumerism
This economic downturn could lead to widespread protests thus sharpening the focus on human rights
UDHR
Adopted in Paris by the UN in December 1948 by 48 votes in favour
The UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out 30 universal rights. There is a huge range of rights from freedom of speech to education and justice.
The UDHR is not a treaty or law but a declaration. It is not legally binding and there are no signatories. SOme see this as a flaw.. But the understanding is that human beings are inherently entitled tohave fundamental rights regardless of nation, locations, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status.
The rights are egalitarian, meaning they are the same for everyone.
The UDHR has been translated into over 500 languages
Haiti
Haiti in the Caribbean is one of the poorest countries in the world
Its HDI ranking is 163 out of 191
Haiti experiences a wide range of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes
It is known as ‘the republic of NGOs’ as it can have up to 10,000 NGOs working there at any one time
In 2010, an earthquake hit Haiti leading to over 220,000 deaths
1.5 million people became homeless, having to live in emergency camps (tent cities)
People in these tent cities suffered an outbreak of cholera, killing more than 9,000 people
Within months, over £12 billion of aid was pledged by governments, members of the public, IGOs (the UN) and NGOs (the Red Cross and Oxfam)
The money raised was used in a number of ways e.g. to provide emergency shelters and restore access to clean water
Two years after the earthquake, 500,000 people were still living in temporary shelters without electricity, plumbing or sewerage
Half of the money pledged should have been spent within 18 months (a condition), but only 40% of this had been spent
The government and NGOs were unable to co-ordinate and use the money effectively
Indigenous people were commonly omitted from decision-making which led to poor governance.
How is the UK supporting Ukraine?
The UK announced a £100 million 3 year package of ODA in 2022
Designed to support the most vulnerable parts of the Ukrainian economy and reduce Ukraine’s reliance on gas imports
How are the US supporting Ukraine?
The U.S. announced several rounds of military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022
One aid package, was worth $775 million
What are the differences in life expectancy between males and females in the UK?
Current UK estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for average life expectancy are:
82.8 years for women
79.1 years for men
