world order CI

Question 1

Responsibility to Protect

Answer 1

A principle endorsed by all member states of the UN at the 2005 World Summit to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity
Arose from the failure of the UN to prevent mass atrocities in Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo
Based on the premise that sovereignty entails a responsibility to protect all populations from mass atrocity crimes and human rights violations

Question 2

Pillar 1

Answer 2

Every State has the responsibility to protect its populations from mass atrocity crimes
Shift in the understanding of sovereignty due to a growing sensitivity to human rights and a reaction to atrocities perpetrated upon citizens by their own leaders
R2P sees sovereignty as a responsibility not a right, sovereignty is conditional upon a State’s’ willingness to protect its own people

Question 3

Pillar 2

Answer 3

The international community has the responsibility to encourage and assist States in meeting that responsibility
Requires a mutual commitment and an active partnership between the international community and the State
States who may be willing but are too weak to uphold their responsibility may receive international support as a result of Pillar 2

Question 4

Pillar 3

Answer 4

If a State is failing to protect its populations, the international community must be prepared to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner and in accordance with the UN Charter
Requires the use of whatever measures are necessary to stop mass atrocity crimes
Measures include preventative diplomacy, fact-finding missions, economic sanctions and embargoes, and military operations such as no-fly zones, monitoring and civilian defence missions
Military measures are authorised solely b

Question 5

ICG

Answer 5

Est 1995 in response to the failure of the international community to respond effectively to the genocides that occurred in Somalia, Rwanda and Bosnia
Aims to alert the world to potential conflicts before they spiral out of control
Acts an accurate source or information for governments, IGOs and NGOs that are working to directly respond to conflict situations

Question 6

Ushahidi

Answer 6

Ushahidi is an open source software platform for crowdsourcing reports from on the ground for crisis response, human rights advocacy, and transparency
The Ushahidi platform allows anyone to send in testimonies about what is happening, when, and where, and also receive alerts of reports around them

Question 7

START
SORT
New START

Answer 7

1.Bilateral treaty between the USA and USSR on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms
In force from 1993 – 2009
2. In force from June 2003 until February 2011
Under SORT both parties agreeing to limit their nuclear arsenal to between 1700 to 2000 each
3. Aim to continue the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms between US and Russia
Limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1500 (down two-thirds from START I and one-third from SORT)

Question 8

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 1996

Answer 8

183 signatories and 159 ratifications
Has not entered into force as 8 specific states have not ratified the treaty
Article XIV of the Treaty states the CTBT will enter into force after all 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty have ratified it
Article XIV states which have not ratified the treaty: United States, China, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan

Question 9

The 4 Geneva Conventions

Answer 9

Geneva Conventions are the most signed and ratified set of treaties in the world
Ratified by 195 states, including all UN member states (universally ratified)
First Geneva Convention (1864) protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war
Second Geneva Convention (1949) protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked personnel at sea during war
Third Geneva Convention (1949) protects prisoners of war
Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) protects civilians, including those in occupied territory

Question 10

ICTR

Answer 10

Established to prosecute those responsible for genocide and other serious violations of IHL committed in the territory of Rwanda and neighbouring States between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994
Indicted 93 individuals whom it considered responsible for serious violations of IHL committed in Rwanda

Question 11

ICTY

Answer 11

The mandate of the ICTY is to bring to justice those responsible for serious violations of IHL committed in the former Yugoslavia since 1991
Article 2 of the ICTY Statute states the Tribunal has jurisdiction over grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949

Question 12

ICRC

Answer 12

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plays a significant role in upholding IHL
Only organisation that has the right to free movement across battle lines in times of war
Some of the activities of the ICRC:
Acts as a neutral party and helps people on all sides in a conflict
Visiting prison camps, internment camps or labour camps of both sides
Evaluating the conditions of prisoners of war held in detention
Providing supplies to those in need

Question 13

role of the UN in UN charter

Answer 13

UN Charter 1945 outlines the rights and obligations of the members of the UN
Article 1: Purposes of the UN are:
to maintain international peace and security;
to develop friendly relations among nations;
to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems; and promoting and encouraging respect for human rights

Question 14

UN General Assembly (un charter)

Answer 14

Representatives from each member state with equal voting power
Article 11 UN Charter sets out functions and powers of UNGA
Can endorse treaties and adopt resolutions
Make recommendations to the security council
Call the attention of the security council to situations which are likely to endanger international peace and security
Discuss questions relating to the maintenance of international peace and security
Decisions are not legally binding

Question 15

UN Security Council (Un charter)

Answer 15

Chapter VII UN Charter sets UNSC powers to maintain peace
Has the power to issue sanctions, arms embargoes and take military and action to restore international peace and security
Any Permanent Five member can halt an action by using its power of veto
Veto power is a controversial feature, has been used by all P5 on certain issue

Question 16

Charter of the United Nations (1945)

Answer 16

Foundational treaty of the United Nations, 193 members
Describes the organs of the UN, their composition, functions and powers, and their respective obligations
Chapter IV General Assembly
Chapter V Security Council
Chapter VII describes the Security Council’s power to authorise sanctions and the use of military force to resolve disputes
Chapter XIV International Court of Justice

Question 17

articles of the UN charter

Answer 17

Chapter IV allows the General Assembly to make recommendations for maintaining international peace and security and for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations among nations
Article 2.7 allows the Security Council to use its Chapter VII powers to overrule a states sovereignty and intervene if there are widespread human right violations or mass atrocity crimes (must be a ‘threat to peace’)
Chapter VII allows the Security Council to employ various enforcement strategies including collective military action, arms embargos and economic sanctions
Article 27 outlines the voting system of the Security Council and gives the power of veto to the Permanent Five

Question 18

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)

Answer 18

191 state parties, non-parties: India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and South Sudan
A multilateral treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons including three elements: (1) non-proliferation, (2) disarmament, and (3) peaceful use of nuclear energy –
States without nuclear weapons will not acquire them
States with nuclear weapons will pursue disarmament
All states can access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, under appropriate safeguards

Question 19

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Answer 19

Est. 1946 as an organ of the United Nations (Chapter 14 UN Charter)
Deals with disputes between states
Has 15 judges elected by UN
Decisions are decided by a majority vote, made by applying international treaties and customary law

Question 20

European Union (EU)

Answer 20

Political and economic union of 28 member states
Supranational organisation (decisions made by majority vote)
Strict membership criteria, adheres to the UN Charter regarding the use of force, and requires that its members are democracies that uphold the rule of law and respect human rights
Treaty on European Union (1992) lays out how the EU operates and sets rules for common foreign and security policy and closer cooperation in justice and legal procedures

Question 21

Northern Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Answer 21

Est. 1949 to counter the threat from the USSR-led communist bloc of Eastern Europe
29 members from North America and Europe
Mission is to safeguard its members through political and military means
Has a system of collective defence – its members agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by an external party
3 NATO members (US, France and UK) are permanent members of UNSC

Question 22

African Union (AU)

Answer 22

Est. 2002
55 member states in Africa
Vision of the AU is that of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena
Modelled on the European Union

Question 23

Peace and Security Council (PSC)

Answer 23

A body of the AU, 15 members elected on a regional basis, similar operation to the UN Security Council
Decisions are binding on member states
Aims to facilitate responses to conflict and crisis situations in Africa
Responsibilities include prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, peace building and developing defence policies

Question 24

Australian involvement in the UN

Answer 24

Australia is a founding member of the UN and has consistently supported the UN’s role in promoting world order

In 2012, Australia won a temporary seat on the UNSC, served as a non-permanent member throughout 2013-2014 and made significant contributions

Question 25

Australia’s contribution to peacekeeping and peace building

Answer 25

• Australia assists with the maintenance of world order through its contribution to peacekeeping and peacebuilding
• Australia has provided military and police personnel to more than 50 peacekeeping forces
• During the Cold War, Australia made a significant contribution to peacekeeping operations in the Middle East
• Australia is the 11th largest contributor to UN Peacekeeping Fund and makes significant additional contributions to support the peacebuilding initiatives

Question 26

Political negotiation

Answer 26

• Simplest and most frequently used means of working with other states and resolving disputes
• This can be done away from treaties and agreements (closed doors)
• Increased scope for greater cooperation
• Not always effective because mutual willingness to find solution must be present on both sides

Question 27

Persuasion

Answer 27

• States can be persuaded to change their behaviour through the pressure of world opinion
• Persuasion can be considered as ‘soft power’, co-opts rather than coerces
• United Nations, IGOs and NGOs can use the method of persuasion to achieve their objectives
• UN can use persuasion through reports that it delivers on various issues and the deliberations of its human right bodies

Question 28

Use of Force

Answer 28

• Last resort action (when political negotiation and pressure fail)
• Many issues surround the legality with regards to the use of force
• Use of force can be used in self-defence (Art 51 UN Charter) or with UNSC authorisation to maintain or restore international peace and security (Art 42 UN Charter)