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The United Nations is an organization created at the end of World War 2 as a place to discuss international matters in peace and to solve problems diplomatically. During its years of existence the United Nations has dealt mostly with matters concerning peace keeping; but lately it has spread its influence over many different issues including the protection of Human Rights. In the many cases of Human Right violations that the United Nations handled, it was generally successful in preventing any further instances and punishing the government / organization responsible for the violation. The greatest tool in preventing these violations that the United Nations has put into play is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This document signed December 10 th, 1948 was a guideline for all future cases on the issue. It outlines the basic human rights of man and gave a starting point for any country attempting to create a bill of rights. As the document, it was very specific thus there was little need for improvement and it has been almost unchanged since its creation. The first article of the declaration states, All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights (Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1).
By giving equality to all human beings, the declaration immediately alleviates any loopholes that may be used to undermine the authority of the document. The declaration prevents exemptions from this article to those countries that consider part of their population to not be a part of the general term, man. In many societies women are also considered to be below the status of being part of mankind and are therefore exempt from any legislature directed through that word. The proceeding is also prevented by the second article that supports the first by stating that all are subject to the rights set forth in this document. Finally the document states the ever-important right of Life, Liberty and Security. By outlining these basic rights the United Nations has outlawed the following; Homicide and manslaughter, the violation of the right to life in any human being; Suppression of freedom of speech, the right of liberty is the right of speaking about your government freely, taking that away is taking your liberty; and finally slavery, a slave has no security and never will, therefore slavery is forever outlawed along with the preceding.
This single amendment covers such a broad range that it is almost impossible to find a way around. Although the Declaration has been implemented and accepted almost everywhere, there are still countries that are have not conformed to the ideals outlined in this Declaration. There are many of countries in Africa where human rights violations are occurring in gross quantities, even today. One of these many countries is Zaire. United Nations human rights investigators had charged that soldiers loyal to Laurent Kabila, during his push to overthrow dictator Mobutu See See, massacred Rwandan Hutu refugees in 1996 and 1997 (Vo 1). These charges were immediately reported to the Zaire government and an investigative report was demanded.
Immediate action is how the United Nations handles situations, by letting the world know of wrongdoing it puts the accused party in the spotlight and forces them, without force, to succumb, and possibly reverse the crime. Security Council members are giving Kabila a chance to reform his ways but if he doesnt, the United Nations will act immediately and send an investigative team. Later, a United Nations special reporter was sent to investigate and reported many issues which were previously unknown. The reporter suggested that the government should put an end to incitement of ethnic hatred and requested the rebel forces to comply with international law applicable to internal affairs. By saying this, the reporter is implying that if the international law is not followed, international actions will be taken. This again puts the people responsible under pressure to change their ways.
Although the people of Congo disagree with the reporter and are convinced the matter is internal; the United Nations is sure to follow with a disciplinary action. The reporter also believes that Human Rights improvements have been slow due to the ongoing wars in the Congo and so the United Nations will be supporting its peacekeeping troops in the area to kill two birds with one stone. Another problematic country in Africa is Burundi. According to the reports, there has been no reply from the Burundi authorities in regards to the issues brought forth by the special reporter. The issues set forth here are as follows. The government militia needs to be under stricter control for the purpose of preventing its abuse of authority.
It has been reported, that the conditions of the detentions centers and penal facilities are abysmal, thus reforms are urgently needed. In addition, it has also been proposed that foster child rights legislature needs to be set up. For all these reforms to be worked into the general reform plan of Burundi, the country needs funding. The United Nations had therefore decided on the following actions. Economic sanctions on Burundi have been lifted; by removing these sanctions a new flow of money will be inbound to Burundi to fund reforms and reconstruction.
With more income, the government will be able to improve conditions in penal colonies and create foster homes. Having removed many problems and creating a stable economic environment, the lifting of these sanctions will have also created a safer political setting in which democracy will be able to thrive. Transition measures by the government will also have been a contributor to the forming of a republic. With economy and politics stabilized the next step towards peace is the pacification of radical fundamentals. Without opposition to the government a democracy will surely arise. Therefore the United Nations has created a perfect environment for the healing of the country, and therefore, through reforms, a prevention of further infringements on human rights.
The general United Nations influence in Africa is based on the fact that the Security Council thinks that words will be enough. By calling African governments to investigate their own crimes against humanity the Human rights commissions in Africa trying to indicate that the United Nations is only a guiding force and that, in the end, it is up to the countries themselves to handle their issues. The third article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines the right to liberty of all peoples which includes these African nations. The United Nations is trying to give each of these countries their liberty in the form of self-reliance. Since the United Nations has never strived to be an authoritative figure it believes diplomatic influence is the best way. Although there has been trouble in the Rwanda tribunal and getting people to serve is starting to get tough, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Bogota to discuss the creation of human rights laws and reforms.
The visit turned out to be a success with much potential possible and many legislatures already created. Although human rights conflicts are to be expected in less than civilized countries in Africa, a situation arising in an advanced country is of much surprise. Recently, a United Nations human rights committee gave Britain a devastating record. Just an example of the verdict on Britain was that the 18 experts condemned the abolition of the right to silence, as a breach of two basic principles-an accused persons right to a fair trial and protection against self-incrimination (Klugland 1). As the 18 lawyers revealed, Britains whole system for ensuring and securing citizens basic political and civil rights was lacking. Although the decision doesnt have much legal value, it has a large amount of moral authority (Klugland 2).
Such legal declarations have been known to work before when governments assured the United Nations that actions will be taken at a ministerial level. Thus the United Nations has brought attention to the long ignored human rights problem in Britain and it has again stressed the importance of a Bill of Rights. Britain, lacking such a document as we see here, has underestimated the importance of a Bill of Rights that would seam unneeded in such a modernized country. In recent events Yugoslavia has most likely been the most stressful test of United Nations influence in the world. Relying on the power of NATO the United Nations first condemned Serbian activities in the former Yugoslavia and then moved in with international military peacekeeping forces. Dealing with one of the European nations as opposed to an underdeveloped third world country proved to be a challenge in its self.
The international community in the face of the United Nations called upon the Yugoslavian president Milosovich to grant authority to the small province of Kosovo located in the southern region of the country. Kosovo, a predominantly Muslim community, was ethnically cleansed even with the lack of a religious war. Other concerns in the Yugoslavia issue include various reports of homicide, torture, rape, and mass graves. An investigation was quickly sent out to handle these issues and a request to the General Assembly was sent to allocate all available resources to Yugoslavia. This gave the Human Rights committee of the United Nations to handle the situation and even call upon Yugoslavian parties to take anti-human rights violation measures. In 1991 an observer force of 170 members was sent to El Salvador to investigate compliance of the San Jose agreement, a human rights accord signed by the parties in the Costa Rican capital in July 1990.
After a cease-fire in the area allowed for more freedom in UN operations ONUSAL was created to monitor the human rights situation in the war-tom Central American nation and investigate specific cases of alleged human rights violations (MasterFILE 2). Soon regional offices were opened and recruitment started. As the organization grew in strength and in members it started influencing the governments of Haiti, Nicaragua and Namibia to stress military, police, and electoral powers in improving the human rights scene in those countries. Human Rights committees handle all activities in the United Nations relating to any human rights issues. Theyre procedure is strict but works well to fit any situation.
The procedure consists of the following. The first optional protocol allows individuals to submit complaints to the human rights committee in an anonymous communication. The person who claims to have been violated must send this communication. Once communication has been declared admissible, the committee may ask for clarification. The second optional protocol consists of the abolition of the death penalty to prevent any violator from killing the victim and overruling the authority of the committee to do anything about it because the victim did not communicate with them. This very effective method allows for total equality for the supposed victim and the supposed violator.
As for sessions of the committee the following rules apply. Two working groups precede each session. The first working group prepares concise lists concerning the state reports to be examined by the committee. The second working group makes recommendations to the committee regarding communications received under optional protocol one. About 12 - 18 months are needed for the declaration of a case to being admissible. Finally the committee is bound to consider all written material made available by both parties concerned.
All these procedures have been laid out to protect possible victims and falsely accused possible violators. Although the United Nations, as an international organization, has no real way to enforce its resolutions, it still has the ability to apply political pressure and boycotting / embargoing a disobedient nation. Although this may not sound very powerful, this is the closest we, as a disorganized world at this time, can get to true unity and world peace.
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Research essay sample on Effects Of The United Nations On Human Rights
