Geography: Health and Human Rights Flashcards
Name some factors which can affect health and life expectancy.
- lifestyle
- access to healthcare
- education
- deprivation
Why is there poor health in Kenya?
- high level of foreign debt and therefore cannot fully invest in healthcare.
- 1.5 million HIV/AIDS sufferers in the country.
- AIDS sufferers cannot afford medicine which can help to extend their lives.
- very little access to medical facilities in rural areas.
what does Hans Rosling consider to be the most important goals for development?
health, education, infrastructure resources and technology can get areas out of poverty.
Human rights, environment, economic growth, cultural development.
How can countries meet Rosling’s goals for development?
- reduce CO2 emissions.
- invest in new technology.
- promote culture - improves quality of life.
What is UNESCO’s views on education and gender equalty?
- gender equality can be achieved through education.
- education is a fundamental right of all people and is the ‘driver’ of development.
- one target states that ‘by 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to primary and secondary education’.
Why do education levels very between genders in some countries?
-in culturally conservative islamic countries, there are restrictions affecting girls’ education. they believe that girls should learn how to run a home in preparation for married life instead of getting a good education.
name some of the UN millennium development goals.
- eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
- reduce child mortality.
- improve maternal health.
What progress has been made with the UN development goals?
India: newborns have been saved by rural healthcare. The Shivpuri District newborn care unit has saved 6000 lives.
Thailand: electronic malaria information system shows volunteers where to find pantients.
Why has variable progress been made in meeting the UN development goals?
in sub-saharan africa, little progress has been made due to a lack of trade, limited participation in globalisation as well as suffering from large amounts of conflict and physical difficulties.
summarise the key points of the universal declaration of human rights.
- founded by the UN in 1945, after WW2.
- 30 articles
- supported decolonisation struggles.
what are the limitations of the UDHR?
- number of ‘authoritarian’ countries with limited human rights has increased.
- some countries haven’t signed/ratified the UDHR (Saudi arabia)
- some countries are selective for economic or political reasons
why might some argue that the European convention on human rights shouldn’t be included in british law?
- undermines british national sovereignty, undemocratic.
- under the human rights act, british courts are bound by decisions made in the European court of human rights
what are the aims of the Geneva convention?
- covers anyone caught in conflict, including civilians
- 4 conventions designed to protect civilians and people no longer fighting (POWs etc.)
- determines what constitutes war crimes
what are the problems of the Geneva convention?
some cases, such as Guantanamo Bay, have never come to trial despite overwhelming evidence.
what are the differences between China’s and India’s politics?
- China is a single-party communist state run by the communist party. it’s known to have violated a number of human rights. the government consider human rights to be too western and are considered a threat to their power.
- India, on the other hand, is the world’s largest democracy.
How have human rights in Bolivia changed over time?
NATIONAL REVOLUTION OF 1952:
- until 1952, indigenous people weren’t allowed to own land, vote or learn to read.
- the revolution granted the population with basic civil rights.
- government sought to build a more inclusive society.
EVO MORALES ERA:
- 2005, Morales wins the presidency as part of the ‘movement towards socialism party’
- his govt aim to reduce prejudice towards indigenous people.
- further promoted equality in 2009 when he set up the vice ministry for decolonization.
define geopolitical intervention
the use of economic, political or military power by countries or groups of countries in different regions of the world to bring about change.
define development aid and possible players involved.
financial aid given to developing countries to support their long-term development
Players:
- UK gives £12 billion a year in total
- IGOs and NGOs also give money
how can economic development negatively effect the environment and culture?
- more infrastructure built, encourages urban sprawl, degrades environment
- TNCs attracted to area, can cause cultural erosion, westernization etc.
How have TNCs affected the environment and minority groups in the Ecuadorian amazon?
- chevron-Texaco’s oil exploitation has resulted in 2.5 million acres of land being damaged.
- more than 350 open waste pits
- 8 types of cancer common in nearby communities
- 85 deaths directly where they operated
how was military intervention on Libya unjust?
- intervened in the Libyan government, can violate national sovereignty.
- Libya is a major oil exporter, may have only intervened to get some of these resources
why is military aid in Colombia controversial?
- it’s received military aid from the USA for over a decade
- human rights in the region are poor (use of torture etc.)
- the US argues that it helps to maintain peace.
what are some measures of success for development aid?
- increase in life expectancy
- gender equality
- GDP
- stable govt.
why might measuring the success of development aid be difficult?
- subjective
- don’t have the means to measure accurate data
- differences in how data is interpreted.
what are the impacts of inequality on countries?
- health indicators are poor. countries with greater inequality often have lower life expectancies and greater infant mortality.
- growth in living standards is hindered.
how can aid lead to increased inequality?
- donor countries sometimes act in their own interests. can be influenced by commercial interests.
- aid agencies often favour large projects that give publicity, even though smaller projects can be more effective.
what are some motives for giving development aid? explain each
- a means of accessing resources: gives china access to more resources (mining in Zambia)
- political support in IGOs and NGOs: can be used to gain support, increases the possibility of alliances/political support in the future
- military alliances
how was the decision to not send the military into Timor-Leste successful?
- after 9 days of declaring independence in 1975, it was invaded by Indonesia, the UN called for withdrawal
- by 1999, over 200,000 people were killed by violence, disease and famine.
- it organized a vote of independence in 1999, 78% voted in favour.
- the vote caused an anti-independence militia to start a campaign of violence, the UK and USA started arms embargoes against Indonesia
- Indonesian forces withdrew peacefully, the UN took control during transition towards independence.
