Health and Human Rights EQ2

Question 1

What is the key idea of human rights?

Answer 1

Human rights set out basic principles for moral behaviour that should undermine all human decisions.
They are universal and all people are inherently entitled to have their human rights respected.
There are 30 human rights as written in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Question 2

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

How does it protect human rights?

Answer 2

Sets out 30 basic human rights.
Used as a framework of intent of governments and guidance for when economic and military intervention can be taken.
Widely recognised as the correct version of human rights.
Adopted by UN, 48 states have signed to follow the guidelines.
Used as guidance in legally binding laws such as UN Charter.

Question 3

Criticism of the UDHR

Answer 3

Eight states refused to sign including 4 former USSR states including Russia and its 4 satellite states including Saudi Arabia.
Only guidance, not legally binding meaning articles are unenforceable.
Has been used as an excuse for military intervention, such as Russia invading Ukraine in 2014 to protect ethnic minority groups or USA declaring war on Iraq on the ground of human rights abuses.

Question 4

What is the European Convention on Human Rights?

Answer 4

A document similar to the UDHR, that came into force in 1953.
Promotes awareness of HR in Europe and is used in the European Court to trial violators.
Governments that have signed are legally binded to certain standards of behaviour to protects the basic rights and freedoms of their people.

Question 5

Criticism of the ECHR.

Answer 5

Undermines national sovereignty as decisions override national courts.
Britain leaving the EU creates concerns for British Human Rights.
5 frequent violators including Russia, Turkey and Romania.
Rulings take a long time leading to a backlog of cases.

Question 6

What is the Human Rights Act 1998?

Answer 6

A UK law passed in 1998 based on the ECHR, that allows individual in Britain to go to UK courts for trial people, companies and the government for human rights violations.
Encourages businesses, government and local authorities to treat all people equally and with respect.
The UK court will apply other laws in a way that follows the ECHR,

Question 7

What is the Geneva convention?

Answer 7

A series of four treaties used at times of armed conflict to protect general civillians.
196 countries have signed up to prevent torture, hostages and degrading behaviour towards civillians. Also protects the rights of charity organisations such as the Red Cross.
Tackles war crimes.

Question 8

Criticism of the Geneva convention.

Answer 8

USA Guantamalo Bay - avoids punishment from Geneva convention as not based on US soil, many cases of torture and imprisonment without trial.
82% of survey countries admit to torture tactic during war.
Fog of war obscures war crimes, often not identified until afterwards.
Not all war crimes are treated, e.g poor action in Ukraine 2014.
Greater number of asylum seekers and refugees makes the law harder to enforce.

Question 9

European Court of Human Rights and Abu Hamza.

Answer 9

ECHR prevented the extradiction of Abu Hamza to USA based on his poor mental health and fear of torture in USA would go against his human rights.
Evidence proved him guilty of Yemen kidnapping in 2003
Continued to preach for militant actions in support of terrorist groups form mosque in London.
Was eventually sent to USA in 2012 and found guilty of kidnapping 16 US citizens in Yemen, providing information to ISIS and planning terror attacks.

Question 10

How does the Human Rights Law undermine British court authority?

Answer 10

1998 Human rights Act – Bolivian immigrant- allowed to stay in UK under HR right to a family and personal life because he had a pet cat after student visa ran out, goes against UK migration laws. 2009.

ECHR - John Hirst, axe killler, used ECHR to claim that preventing all UK prisoners from voting goes against human rights. Compromise made with EC that prisoners under temporary release and following curfew will have the right to vote.

Question 11

Breaking of Geneva convention

Answer 11

Syrian War in Aleppo frequent war crimes but no action.
Using chlorine gas on civilians.
April 2017 80 civilians were killed during a gas weapon attack in rebel-held territory.
Over 100,000 people have been killed since 2011.
The frequent bombing of civilian areas and hospitals, in December 2016 a hospital was bombed every day in Aleppo.

Question 12

USA Guantanamo Bay

Answer 12

Located in Cuba so not legally bound to US human right laws.
In January 2022 of 39 prisoners only 9 have been charged of crimes.
Between 2002 and 2021 nine died in custody two from natural causes and seven from suicide.
At peak held 270 prisoners from Afganistan.

Question 13

Why does violation of human rights vary between governments?

Answer 13

Often based on government style with democratic governments having better human rights protections whilst authoritarian governments often abuse human rights.
Human rights are often invoked in debates and international decision making in order to prioritise economic growth or maintaining power.

Question 14

North Korea Human Right Violations.

Answer 14

Authoritarian regime
2014 the most corrupt country in the world.
1990s famine killed 2.5 million people, no government help or intervention.
GDP per capita is £1,800
Men are 3 to 8 cm shorter than those in South Korea due to malnutrition.
Dealth Penalty is used for political gain, punishment for promoting media against the government, viewing non-approved foreign media and political dissidence.
US Student Otto Wambier, jailed in North Korea for stealing political propaganda, released after 17 months, died after returning home, believed to be tortured.

Question 15

South Korea - positive example of human rights

Answer 15

2nd best democracy in Asia.
GDP of $35,000
Spends 5% GDP on education
Ranked 46th on the corruption perception index.

Question 16

Nike Human right abuses

Answer 16

2/3 of Nike converse factories fail to meet basic standards of working conditions.
2019 reports of woman fired from a Nike factory after taking sick leave.
Nike’s brand in valued at 34 billion dollars.

Question 17

Vietnam child labour.

Answer 17

Vietnam claims 7,000 people have been trafficked domestically, 80% being women or children.
Reports of children being taken from isolated villages to work in factories for 18 hours a day, only 8 minutes bathroom break.
Since 2005 Blue Dragon has rescued 230 child trafficking victims.
Children are taken to work, male babies sold to China due to one child policy, female babies sold to brothels.

Question 18

Vietnam economic growth.

Answer 18

2022 Vietnams economy is expected to grow by 5%
Jeffery D.Sachs of Harvard has recongised child labour and poor working conditions as essential to economic growth as industrial conditions in modernisation theory.

Question 19

Vietnam progress against Child trafficking.

Answer 19

2011 internal tracking is officially recognised as a crime by Vietnam government.
However, there is not yet an example punishment or explanation of how this law will be enforced.

Question 20

Free Government pattern analysis.

Answer 20

Free Governments are mostly western democratic and capitalise economies such as USA, western Europe and Australia.
Not free are mainly communist states including Russia and China, alongside Sharia law countries Afganistan and Saudi Arabia.
Unusually Free governments also include democratic South Africa despite high poverty rates.
3/10 countries with the worlds highest total GNI are not free including China in second place and Russia 10th.

Question 21

What is corruption and transparency?

Answer 21

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.

Tranparency is how open an organisation is about any violations of laws and corrupt processed within their organisation.

Question 22

India government and human right violations.

Answer 22

India is a democratic government where elected officials represent to population.
Human rights abuses include:
70% of prisoners have not been trialed.
2015 accused of not persecuting police officers accused of gang rape.
40% of public services paid a bribe annually.
June 2016 four dalit men killed by radical hindus after found slaughtering cow for food.
Armed forces have unrestrained power to arrest and detain civilian without cause, allowed to use guns and weapons against the general public.

Question 23

India economic growth

Answer 23

In 2016 overtook China as the worlds fastest growing economy.
Worlds fifth biggest economy of £2.66 trillion.
Economy decreased by 7% in 2020 due to covid lockdowns and illness.
However has increased to 12% in 2021.

Question 24

Economic growth in China

Answer 24

Worlds second biggest economy at alomst £16 trillion

Rapid economy recovery after COVID growing by 13% in the first quarter of 2020.

Question 25

Myanmar human rights abuses.

Answer 25

1962 - military junta enforced as gains independence from colonial rule, military actively depresses democracy and funds organised crime to remove political opponents.
1988 - student-led rebellion wanting new democratic party in power was attacked by the military killing 10,000 students and protesters.
2015, the first fair election with a democratic party leader elected, the military has 25% of seats in parliament and controls immigration and security.
Rohingya genocide killed 24,000 Muslims and burnt 270 villages in the southeast of the country.

Question 26

Myanmar 2021 devlopments

Answer 26

February 2021, elected democratic leader Aung San Kyi was forcibly removed from power by military. Herself and family members have not been seen since.
Local Group Peoples Defence Forces have started to retaliate and were met with military action, including live fire and tear gas. over 1,500 people have been killed.

Question 27

Myanmar economic growth.

Answer 27

Economy growth more than tripled from 2015 to 2016 from 3% to 10%.
However, growth is not stable returning to 5% in 2017 then 3% in 2020.

Question 28

China government and human right abuses

Answer 28

China has an authoritarian government ruling as a one party states, government control has more value than human rights with HR only being recognised in 1991.
1982 constitution allows free speech, but clauses on protection of state secrets and diversion of state power are often used to punish those who do speak freely against the government.
2014 - media censorship WeChat users unable to share certain information and punished for using certain words.
Peng Shuai December 2021 - disappeared in China after starting a sexual assault claim against a retired China Communist Party Official, has not been seen by international media since. Was ranked world number one in tennis in 2014.
2015 - new terror law allowed government to monitor all phone calls.
2015 over 270 human rights lawyers and activists in China were targeted by the government, 25 are still missing, fear of torture and death penalty.
Limited rights to the individual makes violations of human rights difficult to trial.

Question 29

What happened in Tiananmen Square?

Answer 29

1989 - a student led rebellion held in Tainanmen square in China against the communist government. Protesters wanted more democratic freedom.
Government responding by sending military tanks and soldiers to the area, 10,000 civilians were shot by the military and one man who stood in-front of the tank convoy was killed by a firing squad afterwards.
The event was removed from Chinese search engines and google left china after they were pressured to removed the event from their search engine in 2010.

Question 30

Zimbabwe political history

Answer 30

Under colonial rule from 1880-1980.
One of the most economically developed countries in Africa due to strong mining and agricultural sector.
Granted independence in 1979, Robert Mugabe who led the movement against colonial rule became president.
Elections are led every five years.

Question 31

Human right abuses in Zimbabwe

Answer 31

Discrimination against remaining white or colonial prosperous population, land reforms meant land was taken from them and given to Mugabe supporters.
Farmers left the area causing food shortages and recession.
2008 elections the opposition to Mugabe ‘The Movement for Democractic Change ‘ claimed 86 of its supporters had been murdered.
Robert Maguabe resigned in 2017, was followed by his supporter Emmerson Mngague.
2019 police killed and raped 17 people during a protest against 150% increase in oil prices.

Question 32

Indices of corruption

Answer 32

High levels of corruption are a threat to human rights as laws are often used to subvert human rights.
Since 1995 Tranparency international has created the Corruption Perception Index, the higher the score the lower the level of corruption, scores a produced using surveys and professional opinions.
Aims to stop corruption, bribery and fraud in the public sector.
HIgest ranked countries include Denmark and New Zealand (88 each), poorest include South Sudan and Somalia with a score of 12.

Question 33

Corruption in clean countries.

Answer 33

French Air Bus company which provides military and civilian air craft paid £4bn to UK, USA and France to compensate for foreign bribery charges.
Bribed Malaysia, Saudi Arabia officials to encourage the government to but their planes.

Question 34

Nigeria Corruption

Answer 34

137 wealthy and elite Nigerians have anonymously bought property in London with a value £350 million using unknown company names.
Shows a lack of transparency and is criticised by the public due to economic hardship in Nigeria.
Under Nigerian law, public officials — including parliamentarians — have to declare “all properties, assets and liabilities” to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) at the end of every four years.

Question 35

Amnesty international - ethnic minority human right abuses.

Answer 35

Hungary - only allows 10 legal migrants to enter the country each day, which violates right to asylum.
China - control over Tibetan monasteries. 2017 Chinese government reduced Larung Gar, the largest monastery in Tibet, to only 5000 people. 2008 prevented monasteries from recruiting new monks and nuns outside their local area.
2017 President Trump started a ‘Muslim-ban’ not allowing refugees from six majority Muslim countries to enter the USA

Question 36

Gender Equality overview.

Answer 36

Iceland and Finland top ranking at 0.86 / 0.85
Surprisingly Rwanda and Ireland rank highly at 7th and 8th.
UK 2021 Gender pay gap at 8%.
Uk 1 in 5 women have experienced rape or sexual assault by the age of 25.
Iceland lowest.
Norway publically linked businesses must employ at least 40% women.

Question 37

Variation in Education

Answer 37

Afganistan 55% of female adolescents are not in school, double the number of males.
Congo 71% of children living in Urban areas passed reading tests only 22% of children in rural areas passed.
Half of the top UK primary schools by SAT achievements are faith schools, more than the number of private schools.

Question 38

Ethnic human right abuses in Rwanda

Answer 38

Before genocide 84% population were Hutu and 15% Tutsi, Tutsi were in control as they were wealthier and this was encouraged by previous colonial rule.
1994 Rwandan genocide sparked by plan crash of Hutu leaders by supposed Tutsi rebels results in the killing of 75% of the Tutsi population, between 100,000 and 250,000 women were raped, violence lasted three months with many people fleeing to neighbouring countries.
In September 2021, Paul Rusesabagina (Hutu) was imprisoned after an unfair trial after lying about hiding over 1,200 Tutis in his hotel during the genocide including his wife.

Question 39

Improvements in ethnic rights in Rwanda

Answer 39

2003 Rwanda constituion brought in new legisalation making it illagal to discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, stating that the new state was committed to protecting Tutsi population from a repeated genocide.
Re-education camps were set up where people could attend for free to learn basis manual work skills and given £25 pound but must also go to classes that taught against discrimination on ethnicity.
Some parliamentary posts are shared equally between Hutu and Tutsi, each having 18 months in the position (controversial when not allowed to recognised ethnicity).

Question 40

Gender Equality in Rwanda.

Answer 40

After the genocide 70% of the population were female,
recognised as essential to economic equality so given more opportunities for work and in politics.
64% of seats in their legislative system are held by women.

Question 41

Indigenous populations in America human right abuses.

Answer 41

Indigenous populations make up 2% of USA’s population and 4% of Canadas.
Jumbo Wild, planned construction of a ski resort of sacred grizzly bear habitat, 91% of local indigenous people were against the construction, was eventually stopped.
1/3 of native Americans report racial abuse or discrimination in the work place.
4/5 Native American women report suffering from sexual violence or assault.

Question 42

Afghanistan rights of women and girls

Answer 42

in 1980 and 1990s when the taliban were in control women were banned from attending school, working and leaving the house without a male escort, public speaking, showing skin in public or accessing health care delivered by a man.
In 2017 the female literacy rate was 52%
In 2015 46% of women said they were physically or sexually abused by their partner between the ages of 16-46.
In 2021 Afghanistan ranked last on the Global Women Peace and Security Index.
28% of women are married before the age of 18

Question 43

Bolivia gender inequality.

Answer 43

50% of women claim to having been physically abuses some point in their lifetime.
1997 new law passed stating that 30% of political candidates must be women, in 2020 53% of the council is female.
Maternal mortality the highest is South America at 155 per 100,000.

Question 44

Australia human rights progress

Answer 44

After WW2 ended nicknamed whites-only migration policy in theory allowing people from China and Asia to enter the country, immigration laws a still very strict with a high point based system.
Women are paid 15% less than men, around £200 pounds a week.
1 in 2 women has suffered sexual harassment or assault.
1 in 2 mothers reports feeling discriminated against at work due to their pregnancy or maternity leave, with 1 in 5 cases of redundancy of women claiming pregnancy was an influencing factor.
However, progress in ethnic discrimination, one of the most culturally mixed communities with 20% of people having a different home language.

Question 45

Bangladesh - abuse of minority ethnic group human rights

Answer 45

Bangladesh is a majority Muslim country but the indigenous communities ‘Jumma People’ in the CHT region are Buddhists.
Due to rapid urbanisation, the government migrated 400,000 Bangladeshi people onto tribal land without Jumma consent, conflict soon started with military groups forming amongst the new arrivals due to lack of land and resources.
This has caused targeted ethnic killings, with war between 1971 and 1999
Over 2000 indigenous women have been raped
Between 2000 and 3000 people have been killed.

Question 46

Bangladesh progress to stop abuses of minority groups human rights.

Answer 46

CHT accord was formed in 1997
The government promised to withdraw all military camps and weapons. however only 29/500 camps have been closed
internally displaced has decreased to 900.