Global Citizenship

Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations

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 (1945-1949) 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.

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.

The World after 1945

• By 1945, most world leaders had a solid understanding of the following global events:

• The First World War (1914-1918)

• The Second World War (1939-45)

• The Horror of the Holocaust (1933-45)

Winston Churchill, Harry TrumanAnd Joseph Stalin

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

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

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

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 toThe United Nations Stephen Lewis

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 theProceedings of the UN

The Purpose of the United Nations

The Specific Purpose is to:Develop international lawsfor the world to follow Promote internationalsecurity, Promote economic

developmentPromote social progressPromote Human Rights

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moonshakes hands with former Secretary-General Kofi Annan

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

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

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

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)

The Security Council

The Security Council

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

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

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

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

The United Nations Secretariat

• 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.

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

Genocide and the International Criminal Court

The following is a listing of Genocides that have taken place in the world since 1915:

• Bosnia-Herzegovina (1992-95)• Rwanda (1994) 1 Million deaths• Cambodia (1975-79) 2 Million

deaths• East Timor (1975-79)• The Holocaust (1933-45) 6 Million

deaths• USSR famine in the Ukraine (1932-

33)• Armenians in Turkey (1915-19) 1.5

Million Deaths

Genocide: East Timor

Genocide: Rwanda/Cambodia

Genocide and the International Criminal Court

The former Yugoslavia was the Scene of numerous war crimes.

Canadian Judge Louise Arbour

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

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?

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

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: FormerCanadian Prime Minister andGlobal Citizen!

Cyprus Conflict: Separation of Turks and Greeks

Peacekeeping

• The Role of Peacekeepers:

• Supervise Elections• Set up local police

forces• Deliver

Humanitarian Supplies

• Mediation of Disputes

General LewisMacKenzie

UN base destroyed by rocket

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

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?

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

Non-Governmental Associations (NGOs)

Questions???