Health, Human Rights and Intervention

Question 2

What is the ECHR?

Answer 2

-The European Convention on Human Rights.
-It is to help prevent conflict and integrated into the UK by the Human Rights Act in 1998.
-It is controversial as it can be seen as erosion of national sovereignty.

Question 3

What doe the ECHR do?

Answer 3

-The European Convention on Human Rights.
-It was written by the Council of Europe (an organisation with aims of upholding human rights, democracy and rule of law in Europe) and adopted by its 47 member states.
-Pre-dates the founding of the EU in 1957.
-Established European Court of Human Rights to uphold the ECHR and bring people or organisations abusing human rights to trial and justice.

Question 4

What was the ECHR specifically set up to do?

Answer 4

To prevent conflict in Europe and the sort of atrocities committed during the World Wars.

Question 5

How is the ECHR different to the UCDR?

Answer 5

The UDHR is a document that defines what the basic set of internationally recognised human rights are, while the ECHR is an international treaty under which its signatories agree to abide by its requirements.
But they have similar aims and refer to similar rights.

Question 6

How does the Human Rights Act 1998 work in the UK?

Answer 6

The Human Rights Act 1998 took the rights enshrined in the ECHR and made them part of the UK law. This makes it easier for citizens to have their human rights upheld in the UK, rather than having to take the UK government to court at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Question 7

Why are the UDHR and ECHR controversial?

Answer 7

They are controversial to some people because of their impact on sovereignty (idea that a country’s government determine the laws and policies in that country and no higher authority has supreme power).
-By signing international human rights treaties, sovereign states could be seen to be handing authority on human rights issues to a higher legal body (UN).
-In the case of the ECHR, the European Council of Human Rights in Strasbourg has a higher legal power to make judgements than national courts.

Question 8

Why have some criticised the concept of ‘Human Rights’?

Answer 8

It could be seen as western, it was put into place after WW2 by European and North American politicians and thinkers.
They argue that this western concept of human rights does not apply easily to Islamic or Asian cultures, which have different histories and traditions.

Question 9

Are certain Human Rights Universal?

Answer 9

Different cultures may take a different view of gender equality, or treat some crimes more/less seriously than other cultures.

Question 10

What is the Geneva Convention(s)?

Answer 10

It forms a basis in international law for prosecuting and individuals and organisations who commit war crimes and is endorsed by 196 countries; however few cases come to trial.

Question 11

How many countries continue to engage in torture (Geneva convention)?

Answer 11

Over 150.

Question 12

What does International Law Govern during Wartime?

Answer 12

The Geneva Conventions covers the ‘rules of war’ (acceptable conduct during one) in the following ways:
-wounded and sick soldiers should be evacuated from the field of battle and given medical treatment, even by the enemy side.
-prisoners should be well treated, not used for forced labour and hostages should not be taken.
-civilians should be protected in areas that have been conquered.

Question 13

What War Crimes did the Geneva Convention help define?

Answer 13

Torture, rape, genocide, child soldiers, bombing civilians, chemical weapons.

Question 14

What happens to those Accused of War Crimes?

Answer 14

They can be tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, The Netherlands, set up in 2002.

Question 15

Is Recognition of the ICC Universal?

Answer 15

It is widespread by sovereign states (123 signatories) but not universal (the USA, China, Russia, India etc).

Question 16

What are the Difficulties with the ICC?

Answer 16

-International cooperation to bring war criminals to trial can be hard to achieve as not all states agree with it.
-War criminals have to be captured and then brought to the Hague: those accused often attempt to avoid this at all costs.
-Gathering evidence of war crimes during a war is very difficult.

Question 17

The ICC has investigated how many crimes linked to War since 2002?

Answer 17

11

Question 18

The ICC has accused how many individuals since 2022?

Answer 18

42 individuals.

Question 19

How many of the Individuals had arrest warrant issued against them?

Answer 19

34 have had arrest warrants issued against them.

Question 20

How many criminals have been Convicted at the ICC?

Answer 20

As of 2018, 5 criminals.

Question 21

What are the Key issues with the Geneva Convention, human rights law and the ICC?

Answer 21

Many sovereign states still engage in actions that are banned by the treaties and agreements that have signed:
- Amnesty international estimates that 140 sovereign states use torture.
-Around 25 countries still use chemical weapons.
-The USA has attempted regime change in over 30 countries since 1945, and many of these can be questioned under international law.
-Most sovereign states consider Russia’s invasion and annexation of parts of Georgia and Ukraine illegal under international law.

Question 22

Which Countries are at the forefront of human rights?

Answer 22

All Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France, the UK, and Canada, among others.

Question 23

Which countries are ranked ‘free’ using the Freedom House, ‘Freedom in the World Index’?

Answer 23

All Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France, the UK, and Canada, among others.
These are usually the first countries to ‘call out’ human rights abuses.

Question 24

Which Countries are Historically Neutral countries?

Answer 24

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Austria, Ireland and Switzerland.

Question 25

Which Countries are often the locations chosen for international agreements on human rights?

Answer 25

The neutral countries.

Question 26

The Diplomates of which Countries are often involved in Negotiating agreements and Settling disputes?

Answer 26

The neutral countries.

Question 27

Which Countries prioritise Economic Growth over Human Rights?

Answer 27

China, Malaysia, Mexico, Much of the Middle East and large parts of Africa.

Question 28

What could be argued about Human Rights in terms of Economic Growth?

Answer 28

-Human rights bring financial costs, such as providing education and healthcare, and this money could be better spend on economic infrastructure.
-Workers rights get in the way of profits, and they add costs to businesses.
-Rights such as freedom of the press bring no economic benefit.

Question 29

How do Countries like China Defend their positions with Human Rights?

Answer 29

By arguing that once economic development is achieved, human rights can then follow. They would argue that in the UK gender equality, universal suffrage, universal healthcare and education all emerged after the industrial revolution.

Question 30

What is the Argument against Countries like China defending their positions with Human Rights?

Answer 30

-People may be productive and innovative when they have protected freedoms that human rights bring.
-Many of the world’s wealthiest countries have are also those with the best human rights records.

Question 31

What is the Freedom in the World Index?

Answer 31

-Published by Freedom House.
-Ranks countries as ‘free’, ‘partly free’, and ‘not free’.
-Free: North America, Europe, much of South America, Australia, Southern Africa, Mongolia and India
-Partly free: some Eastern Europe countries, South-east Asia, South-eastern Africa, Western Africa, Central America, some of south Asia and America