eqi2 Flashcards
(45 cards)
what are human rights?
the moral principles that underline human behaviour. they are fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitles simply because they are a human being regardless of nation, location, age, gender, language, ethnicity, religion, etc…
what is a decleration?
a non-legally binding agreement with no signatories
what is a convention?
is legally binding and has signatories but is less formal than a treaty and not actively policed
what is a treaty?
a legally binding and policed agreement, signed by all parties involved
what is the universal decleration of human rights?
sets out 30 universal rights e.g. born free and equal.
but as it is a decleration it is not legally bounding.
- but if countries are in the UN, they are bound to obey by it
what are problems with the UDHR?
if a country is not in the UN then they don’t need to worry
- violations of the decleration have been used as an excuse for military intervention - leads to claims that america is using is as another way to control the world
why did the UDHR faul in kosovo?
NATO launched a 6 week bombing campaign against serbia in response to allegations of HR violations and their military intervention was designed to prevent humanitarian disaster but was not allowed by the UN (because of China and russia)
what is the european convention on human rights?
if you feel that your human rights have been violated you can go to the european courts
- to join the EU, national governments must
the ECHR comprises of articles which set out specific human rights and was a response to:
- violations of human rights that occured during WW2
- post war spread of communism
what is the UKs human rights act?
it is incorporated into UK law and it means that any breach of the convention’s rights can be heard in UK courts
what is the geneva convention?
a series of 4 treaties applied at times of armed conflict to protect people not taking part in the conflict.
- soldiers who surrender are entilted to respect for their lives and integrity
- wounded and sick must be cared for by the controlling force and the red cross/ cresent must be respected
- parties to a conflict and members of their armed forces do not have an unlimited choice of methods and means of warfare
how does corruption affect development?
- bribery can influence government contracts
- bribes can be allocated for monetary benefits or in-kind benefits
- bribes can be used to reduce the amount of taxes collected from private parties
- bribes can speed up government’s granting of permissoin
- bribes cna alter outcomes of the legal regulatory processes
how does corruption threaten human rights?
- stops the right to be treated equally - if one person can afford a bribe, it stops equality
- damages the right to a fair trial due to the affected independence
- damages the right to political participation
- can reduce standard of living (embezzlement)
- can reduce economic and social right to education and limit development of society
how did corruption stop myanmar’s development?
- informal and illicit economy suggests strong links between the ruling elite and organised crime activities such as drugs, human trafficking and illegal logging
- unelected military representatives still take up 25% of seats in parliament
- veto over constitutional changes
how did corruption stop myanmar’s human rights?
human trafficking is linked to ruling elites - loss of democracy = freedom of life
how did corruption stop zimbabwe’s development?
- land reforms led to the good land to the presidents friends and badly formed land to everyone else
- bad development = no money
how did corruption stop zimbabwe’s human rights?
little care and denial over human rights
how is the rohinga crisis contravening the geneva convention?
- the geneve convention protects civilians in times of war and occupation but there is documented mass killings and sexual violence
- the convention does not allow violence, murder, torture or cruel treatment and bans forced deportation
–> the rohingans have been forcibly displaced to bangladesh, violating prohibitions against forced deportation - myanmar’s government has blocked humanitarian aid from reaching the rohingan people
how is the rohinga crisis contravening the UDHR?
- UDHR guarantees rights and freedom without distinction but the rohingans face systematic discrimination due to ethnic and religious standings
- UDHR guarantees right to nationality but myanmar revoked the rohingans citizenship rendering them stateless
- guarantees the right of every persons to be treated as a person before the law but rohingans lack legal recognition in myanmar
what does it mean to be free?
broad scope for political competition and a climate of respect for civil liberties
what does it mean to be partly free?
there are clear restrictions on political rights and liberties
what does it mean to not be free?
basic political rights and civil liberties are absent or systematically violated
what are the features of high freedom?
- western
- developed
- liberal
- democracy
- human rights
- christian
- rule of law
what are the features of low freedom?
- cencorship
- dictatorship
- authoritarian
- police states
- military dictatorhip
what is democracy?
- governing system based on the will and consent of the governed
- accountable to all citizens
- rule of law
- respect for human rights
- subject to check both within and outside the state
- good for the public as a whole
