Human Rights

Brief History

• Philosophy of raison d'état or 'divine right of kings'
• Age of the Enlightenment
• WWII and the post-war War Crime Tribunals

Defining Human Rights:

• Establishment of the United Nations and the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights
• East (collective human rights) v. West (individual human rights)

Actors who draw attention to human rights issues:

1. IGOs: UN through agencies like WHO and UNICEF; World Bank; IMF
    

2. NGOs:  Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House
    

3. The Media
    

4. Prominent Individuals: Jimmy Carter, Bono, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney
    

5. States: Foreign Policy