Conflict and Global Governance

Question 1

What is global governance?

Answer 1

A movement of political integration aimed at negotiating responses to problems that affect more than one state or region

Question 2

What are the strategies for global governance of human rights? (HUMANISM TL)

Answer 2

• Humanitarian (military) intervention and relief assistance
• UN peacekeeping operations that promote human rights
• MNC’s influence in terms of their Corporate Social Responsibility
• Agencies of the UN such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
• NGO’s, private organisations, and human rights activists
• International and national laws
• Strengthen the rule of law
• Modernise norms and change them
• Treaties or conventions established by supranational organisations such as UN or EU
• Legal mechanisms such as ECHR and International Criminal Court (ICC)

Question 3

Name some human rights violations that are either the initial cause of a conflict or a major contributory factor: (DDUOG)

Answer 3

1. Denial if human needs ie. food, housing, employment opportunity and limited access to education over prolonged periods
2. Discrimination and denial freedom in an undemocratic society
3. Unrepresentative government where people are treated unequally an excluded from decision-making
4. Oppressive government that doesn’t respect the needs of certain groups
5. Genocide and torture

Question 4

Name some human right violations that can be a consequence of conflict: (HIDEDE)

Answer 4

1. High incidence of mortality due to military fighting civilians
2. Damage to homes and other property
3. Damage to infrastructure eg. hospitals
4. Impact on food and water supply
5. Displacement of people causing refugee migration
6. Exploitation of women
7. Ethnic cleansing

Question 5

Which body gives authority for humanitarian intervention?

Answer 5

The UN

Question 6

Give an example of humanitarian intervention in 2011

Answer 6

2011 military intervention in Libya was given UN mandate to prevent further violation of human rights

Question 7

What types of human rights violations were there in Libya?

Answer 7

Bombing and starvation

Question 8

Who was the Libya intervention led by?

Answer 8

Led by France and UK, with 17 other countries involved

Question 9

Who took over the Libya intervention?

Answer 9

NATO forces

Question 10

What is important for effective intervention?

Answer 10

The exchange of ideas and information

Question 11

How do NGOs increase awareness of human rights abuses?

Answer 11

They publish information eg. Amnesty International

Question 12

How does technology help the intervention process?

Answer 12

• Social media and other online tool help flows of ideas and information
• ICT is important for communications
• Technology like remote sensing and unmanned satellite are used for surveillance in dangerous or inaccessible areas

Question 13

Give an example of a type of person that may intervene in an affected area:

Answer 13

Aid workers eg. NGO staff and uniformed personnel

Question 14

Where do the funds to support operations come from?

Answer 14

Provided by member states with US being the largest contributor

Question 15

Describe how Haiti has benefited from influx of personnel, money, technology, and ideas:

Answer 15

Since the 1990’s

• Current UN stabilising mission has over 4500 uniformed personnel
• Access to US$500 million donated from 51 countries around the world
• Hundreds of NGOs working in Haiti funded by US$5 billion of foreign aid
• IMF provided debt relief and financial support

Question 16

What scales are there as strategies to promote and protect human rights?

Answer 16

Supranational scale eg UN
Regional scale eg ASEAN
National governments and NGOs

Question 17

Describe the scale and structure of NGOs:

Answer 17

Many NGOs are international in structure like the UN but operate at local scale, working closely with small communities affected by HR violations

Question 18

What is the UN?

Answer 18

An intergovernmental organisation with 193 member states, each of which agrees to accept the obligations of the UN charter

Question 19

What is one of the main aims of UN, related to human rights?

Answer 19

“Reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights”

Question 20

How does the UN help with HR issues?

Answer 20

• Officer of High Commissioner of Human Rights – chief responsibility
• UN security council
• Human Rights Council works with the legal backing on the International Bill of Rights

Question 21

What does the UN security council do?

Answer 21

Deals with grave human rights violations, often in conflict areas

Question 22

How do NGOs help with HR issues?

Answer 22

• Monitor and provide early warning of new violence
• Modification of cultural norms through education
• Water conservation and improved sanitation
• Provisions of medicine and medical assistance
• Local strategies to support women and children’s rights

Question 23

What is a treaty?

Answer 23

Formal, written agreements between groups of countries which are binding in international and national law

Question 24

Give an example of a treaty created by the UN:

Answer 24

Convention on the Rights of the Child

Question 25

How do NGOs reinforce and strengthen the rule of law?

Answer 25

Through education

Question 26

What provides the most effective global governance?

Answer 26

A combination of legal and practical instruments with the co-ordination of strategies by different organisations at different scales that offers the most effective GG