Global responsiblities

Question 1

What are human rights?

Answer 1

Human rights are universal and belong to everybody. They cannot be removed, even though they can be violated.

UDHR sets these rights out.

Question 2

What are conflict situations?

Answer 2

Many conflicts are civil wars fought between people of the same nationality, threatening human rights. Civilians can be caught up in the fighting.

Example: The civil war in Syria.

Question 3

What threatens minority groups in conflicts?

Answer 3

Other conflicts can threaten minority groups, such as the Rohingya people in Myanmar, many of whom have been killed or abused.

Question 4

How do human rights relate to laws?

Answer 4

Human rights have a higher moral authority than laws passed by governments, meaning they come ahead of a country’s right to conduct its own affairs.

Question 5

What is required in balancing rights and responsibilities?

Answer 5

Countries must balance self-interest with responsibility to human rights.

Question 6

What institutions protect human rights?

Answer 6

The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court protect human rights.

Question 7

What is humanitarian intervention?

Answer 7

A country intervenes to tackle abuses of human rights.

Examples: 1998 Kosovo and 2008 Kosovo.