Topic 8 - Health, Human Rights and Intervention EQ2✅

Question 1

Explain what the Geneva convention is?

Answer 1

International treaties that create rules for war situations, especially offering protection to civilians, medical workers and prisoners (only apply during times of war)

• used when determining war crimes

Question 2

Briefly outline some of the points from the Geneva convection?

Answer 2

• persons out of combat action due to injury are entitled to life
• forbidden to kill anyone who surrenders
• on one shall be subjected to physical or mental torture - including prisoners
• civilians should not to be targeted

Question 3

Explain why prosecuting war crimes is hard?

Answer 3

• successful prosecution of individuals and countries who commit war crimes is rare because of the ‘fog of war’ which can obscure the circumstances of any crimes or offences
• evidence can be scarce and not reliable

Question 4

Outline the human rights and the balance between social and economic development in South Korea?

Answer 4

South Korea has embraced capitalism which has helped transform and develop the country into an advanced, high-income economy

• key to its success attrubuted to firm government, powerful high tech companies, committed workforce acknowledgement and implementation of human rights
• now ranked 2nd on democracy index in Asia and its GDP is 40th in world

Question 5

Outline the role of the European convention of human rights (ECHR)?

Answer 5

• formed in 1949 to establish better relationships between European countries post WW2
• drafted the ECHR as a treaty to protect all human rights - member states include these within national laws
• include right to life, prohibition of slavery and torture and fright to a fair trial

Question 6

Outline the role of the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR)?

Answer 6

• set up to produce an ‘international bill of rights’ which is the UDHR
• adopted by 48 nations (not legally binding) and forms a framework for foreign policy, not all countries have signed it
• lists 30 articles that define basic human rights and states they should be protected

Question 7

Explain the role of the 1988 human rights act?

Answer 7

• came into force in 2000
• incorporates into British law the rights set out in the European convention on human rights
• requires all public and other bodies carrying out public functions to respect and protect human rights
• parliament tries to ensure any new laws are compatible with the ECHR

Question 8

Pg 171

Question 9

Briefly outline the overall government in china?

Answer 9

• founded as a communist country - with a one-party government
• economic reforms in 1980 have seen china become increasingly involved in global economy (now described as ‘socialist market economy’)
• increasingly trades with capitalist world - led to economic success (at expense of human rights)

Question 10

Explain some of the policies and beliefs of China which clash with human rights - give 4?

Answer 10

• re-education through labour - usually handed out to critics of governments and banned beliefs
• suppression and blocking of the internet and media - worlds leading jailer of journalists
• unfair trials - Chinese judicial system falls short of international standards
• torture - widespread and documented evidence of ill-treatment of detainees

Question 11

Explain the Chinese governments stance on political freedom?

Answer 11

• highly authoritarian, one-party state
• places bans on expression, association, assembly and religion
• prohibits trade unions and human rights organisations
• controls the judicial system

Ignores and obstructs any international condemnation of its human rights records

Question 12

Outline how democratic the Chinese government is?

Answer 12

Highly authoritarian and a one-party state - very against any trade unions, human rights organisations and any condemnation of its treatment and beliefs of human rights