Geography: Health and Human Rights

Question 1

Name some factors which can affect health and life expectancy.

Answer 1

• lifestyle
• access to healthcare
• education
• deprivation

Question 2

Why is there poor health in Kenya?

Answer 2

• 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.

Question 3

what does Hans Rosling consider to be the most important goals for development?

Answer 3

health, education, infrastructure resources and technology can get areas out of poverty.

Human rights, environment, economic growth, cultural development.

Question 4

How can countries meet Rosling’s goals for development?

Answer 4

• reduce CO2 emissions.
• invest in new technology.
• promote culture - improves quality of life.

Question 5

What is UNESCO’s views on education and gender equalty?

Answer 5

• 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’.

Question 6

Why do education levels very between genders in some countries?

Answer 6

-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.

Question 7

name some of the UN millennium development goals.

Answer 7

• eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
• reduce child mortality.
• improve maternal health.

Question 8

What progress has been made with the UN development goals?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

Why has variable progress been made in meeting the UN development goals?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

summarise the key points of the universal declaration of human rights.

Answer 10

• founded by the UN in 1945, after WW2.
• 30 articles
• supported decolonisation struggles.

Question 11

what are the limitations of the UDHR?

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

why might some argue that the European convention on human rights shouldn’t be included in british law?

Answer 12

• undermines british national sovereignty, undemocratic.

- under the human rights act, british courts are bound by decisions made in the European court of human rights

Question 13

what are the aims of the Geneva convention?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

what are the problems of the Geneva convention?

Answer 14

some cases, such as Guantanamo Bay, have never come to trial despite overwhelming evidence.

Question 15

what are the differences between China’s and India’s politics?

Answer 15

• 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.

Question 16

How have human rights in Bolivia changed over time?

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

define geopolitical intervention

Answer 17

the use of economic, political or military power by countries or groups of countries in different regions of the world to bring about change.

Question 18

define development aid and possible players involved.

Answer 18

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

Question 19

how can economic development negatively effect the environment and culture?

Answer 19

• more infrastructure built, encourages urban sprawl, degrades environment
• TNCs attracted to area, can cause cultural erosion, westernization etc.

Question 20

How have TNCs affected the environment and minority groups in the Ecuadorian amazon?

Answer 20

• 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

Question 21

how was military intervention on Libya unjust?

Answer 21

• 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

Question 22

why is military aid in Colombia controversial?

Answer 22

• 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.

Question 23

what are some measures of success for development aid?

Answer 23

• increase in life expectancy
• gender equality
• GDP
• stable govt.

Question 24

why might measuring the success of development aid be difficult?

Answer 24

• subjective
• don’t have the means to measure accurate data
• differences in how data is interpreted.

Question 25

what are the impacts of inequality on countries?

Answer 25

• health indicators are poor. countries with greater inequality often have lower life expectancies and greater infant mortality.
• growth in living standards is hindered.

Question 26

how can aid lead to increased inequality?

Answer 26

• 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.

Question 27

what are some motives for giving development aid? explain each

Answer 27

• 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

Question 28

how was the decision to not send the military into Timor-Leste successful?

Answer 28

• 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.