1. Human Rights

2. Defined
Human rights are international norms that help to protect all people everywhere from severe political, legal, and social abuses.
The philosophy of human rights addresses questions about the existence, content, nature, universality, justification, and legal status of human rights

3. Where did this philosophy come from?
The Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Plato and Aristotle – All men are created equal
Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau – Social Contract
John Locke – right to life liberty and property
- right to revolution
John Rawls – human rights define where legitimate toleration of other countries end

4. Points of Contention Are human rights universal?
Do they exist regardless of legislation?
Do they justify moral norms?
Can they be changed?
Are human rights inalienable?
Which rights are human rights?

5. The International System
There are 6 main actors in the modern global system
Nation States
International Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
Multi-National Corporations
Trans-National Groups
Individuals

6. Nation States
Independent and sovereign states co-existing under an anarchical system
Dictate the rules of the international system – economic system, form international organizations (UN), host multinational corporations, exchange diplomats, sign treaties, go to war…..
They dictate peace and harmony (or not)

7. Nation States Continued
Over the last 20 years (or so) the dominance of the nation state in the international system has been minimized by several key factors
Modern weaponry (terrorism)
Interdependence of the global economy (EU)
Environmentalism (Kyoto)
Internationalization of mass media (internet)

8. International Organizations
Formed on the consent of states, groups of NGOs, and the private association of individuals with transnational goals
UN is only IGO with global membership – the rest are regional
Usually formed between countries sharing a common purpose for cooperation (eg OPEC is a group of 12 member countries regulating the production, distribution, and pricing of oil)
IGOs has given new meaning to the term “global village”.

9. The United Nations Declaration Of Human Rights (1948)

10. What is the United Nations?
Organization established after WWII in 1945, to maintain peace and stability in the world through cooperation among its member countries
The UN maintains peacekeeping and humanitarian missions around the world
Acts as a mediator in international disputes and coordinates global initiatives on many issues

11. Purpose? As set forth in the Charter:
To maintain international peace and security
To develop friendly relations
To cooperate in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems
To promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends

12. United Nations Structure
Consists of 6 councils/assemblies
General Assembly
Security Council
Secretariat
Economic and Social Council
International Court of Justice
Trusteeship Council