1. Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations
Global Citizenship
Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations

2. Key Terms
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): The international document adopted by the United Nations in 1948 that proclaims basic human rights for all people. Even though it cannot be enforced, the UDHR firmly establishes the principle of human rights and has inspired other human rights agreements.
Geneva Conventions: Internationally recognized rules of conduct during war that protect military personnel, prisoners of war and civilians
Humanitarianism: The belief that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity and that the wellbeing of all humankind is a necessary and worthy goal
Genocide: The systematic and deliberate attempt to kill all members of an ethnic, racial, or other cultural group.
Nuremburg Trials: International trials held in the German city of Nuremburg ( ) to try Nazis who oversaw the holocaust for war crimes. The trials influenced the creation of international criminal law and the movement for the establishment of an international criminal court
Conventions: Formal agreements between two or more countries
Protocols: Formal agreements between two or more countries; codes of conduct.

3. Key Terms
International Criminal Court (ICC): The world’s first international criminal court, which was established by the United Nations in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Not-for-Profit voluntary organizations that work to improve life and social conditions around the world (e.g. Oxfam, Greenpeace, Doctors without borders). Although they may receive some funding from government, NGOs are independent of government control.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The value of all goods and services produced in a country in a given year.
Sanctions: Military or economic measures by which one or more countries try to force another country to respect international law or human rights (e.g. by stopping trade or aid)
Terrorism: The unlawful use or threatened use of extreme violence by individuals and groups to create widespread fear to achieve political goals.

4. Winston Churchill, Harry Truman
The World after 1945
By 1945, most world leaders had a solid understanding of the following global events:
The First World War ( )
The Second World War ( )
The Horror of the Holocaust ( )
Winston Churchill, Harry Truman
And Joseph Stalin

5. The Creation of the United Nations
Understandably, many world leaders were keen to ensure that the failures of the past to achieve world peace would not be repeated.
The central question was: How do we prevent another world war?
The Solution? The creation of an international forum for discussion and debate: The United Nations
The United Nations: New York City, USA

6. The Creation of the United Nations
On October 24th, 1945, the United Nations was created with the signing of the Charter of the United Nations.
In 1945 there were 51 member states.
Today, there are 191.
The United Nations General Assembly

7. The Creation of the United Nations
John Humpfrey, a professor of Law at McGill University in Montreal helped to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In this document, it states that all human beings have a right to:
Life, Liberty, security of the person and a reasonable standard of living.
However, this document is a guideline and cannot be enforced by the UN. Why Not?
John Humpfrey

8. Canada and the United Nations
Canada has as a very distinguished reputation in the world for its record on human rights and its involvement in the UN. Consider the following facts:
Canada has supported UN peacekeeping operations with over 100,000 personnel over the last 45 years.
Canada has signed every UN convention to strengthen human rights since 1948.
There is a linkage between human rights and global conflicts. If we can improve human rights around the world, we can make the world a better place in which to live.
Former Canadian Ambassador to
The United Nations Stephen Lewis

9. The Purpose of the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) has four purposes:
To develop and maintain peace and security
To develop friendly relations among nations
To try and solve international problems and in promoting respect for human rights
To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of the world’s nations
George Bush listens to the
Proceedings of the UN

10. The Purpose of the United Nations
The Specific Purpose is to:
Develop international laws
for the world to follow
Promote international
security,
Promote economic development
Promote social progress
Promote Human Rights
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
shakes hands with former Secretary-
General Kofi Annan

11. The Structure of the United Nations
The United Nations is not a government in the sense that it does not make laws for the rest of the world to follow.
The sovereignty and self-determination of nations is recognized and respected.
The role of the UN is to provide a forum for discussion and to give a sense of what the world generally believes to be right.
Question: Does International Law exist?
The United States makes it point

12. The Structure of the United Nations
The General Assembly:
The Security Council
The Economic and Social Council
The Trusteeship Council
The Secretariat
The International Court of Justice (ICC)
The International Court of Justice

13. The General Assembly
At the moment, there are 192 members of the General Assembly.
The role of the General assembly is to debate issues of global significance and to recommend resolutions to global problems
In the General Assembly all nations are equal and are provided with one vote
The General Assembly is responsible for managing the budget of the United Nations.
The GA appoints the non-permanent members to the Security Council
The General Assembly

14. The Security Council
The Security Council has 5 permanent members: Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States.
There are also 10 elected members: (Located on Map)

15. The Security Council
The Security Council

16. The Security Council
The Role of the Security Council is the following:
The maintenance of international peace and security.
The establishment of peacekeeping operations
The establishment of international sanctions
The authorization for military action

17. The Security Council Veto Power
If a permanent member of the Security Council Vetoes a UN resolution, then the resolution will not pass.
A Veto is a vote which cancels the adoption of a new provision. Since the beginning of the UN, the following members have vetoed:
China 6 times
France 18 times
Russia/USSR 122 time
The United Kingdom 32 times
United States 81 times.
China exercising its Veto Power

18. The International Court of Justice
The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 in the Hague, Netherlands.
The court is responsible for the prosecution of individuals charged with war crimes.
The United States and China are examples of countries that do not recognize the authority of the ICC. Why?
The International Court

19. The Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations
Its role is to assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development.
ECOSOC has 54 members
All members are elected by the General Assembly for a three-year term.
The Economic and Social Council

20. The United Nations Secretariat
Is headed by the United Nations Secretary-General.
Its role is to provide studies for meetings, technical information, and provide facilities needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings.

21. The International Court of Justice
Its main role is to settle legal disputes submitted to it by member states of the UN
It is also needed to give advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by international organizations and agencies and the UN General Assembly.
The Court’s decisions may be vetoed by the permanent members of the Security Council. The United States recognizes its authority on an ad hoc (case by case) basis
The International Court of Justice

22. Genocide and the International Criminal Court
The following is a listing of Genocides that have taken place in the world since 1915:
Bosnia-Herzegovina ( )
Rwanda (1994) 1 Million deaths
Cambodia ( ) 2 Million deaths
East Timor ( )
The Holocaust ( ) 6 Million deaths
USSR famine in the Ukraine ( )
Armenians in Turkey ( ) 1.5 Million Deaths

23. Genocide: East Timor

24. Genocide: Rwanda/Cambodia

25. Genocide and the International Criminal Court
The former Yugoslavia was the
Scene of numerous war crimes.
Canadian Judge Louise Arbour

26. United Nations Branches
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
UNESCO: United Nations economic, social and cultural organization
World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Bank
The World Bank Headquarters

27. Peacekeeping
When the United Nations was established in 1945, the intention was to prevent international conflicts from getting out of hand.
The Solution?
Peacekeeping.
Who invented peacekeeping?

28. What is a Global Citizen?
A Global Citizen is someone who:
Understands that all citizens of the world are interconnected
Understands that global problems: terrorism, poverty, pollution and natural disasters require international co-operation
Views events from the perspectives of other nations
Understands that Canada is not the centre of the Universe!
David Suzuki: Environmentalist and
Global Citizen

29. Peacekeeping
Invented by Lester B Pearson in 1957 for his intervention in the Suez Canal Crisis.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
Since that time, Canada has been a world leader in global peacekeeping efforts.
Why are we so good at it?
Lester B Pearson: Former
Canadian Prime Minister and
Global Citizen!

30. Cyprus Conflict: Separation of Turks and Greeks

31. Peacekeeping The Role of Peacekeepers: Supervise Elections
Set up local police forces
Deliver Humanitarian Supplies
Mediation of Disputes
General Lewis
MacKenzie
UN base destroyed by rocket

32. Peacekeeping
There is a big difference between Peacekeeping and Peacemaking.
From the Bosnian Conflict onwards, the United Nations has struggled to implement its peacekeeping mandate.
In some instances, the efforts of the UN have been less than successful
General Romeo Dallaire

33. The Usage of Sanctions
Canada tries to improve human rights around the world through its involvement with peacekeeping initiatives and foreign aid.
However, when countries ignore human rights, or attack other countries in violation of international law, Canada can also impose Sanctions; an act whereby the Canadian government refuses to trade with countries in an effort to change their policies.
In 1977, Canada imposed sanctions against South Africa in an effort to force their government to abandon their policy of racial segregation (Apartheid)
Are sanctions effective?

34. Non-Governmental Associations (NGOs)
Non-Governmental Associations (NGOs) are organizations that try to affect international policies by working outside the political process.
Common NGOs are:
GreenPeace
Peta
Doctors Without Borders

35. Non-Governmental Associations (NGOs)

36. Questions???