Yasmin Givens
Final Paper
Western States and Their Active Promotion of Human Rights
In 2014, one of the leading transnational advocacy networks (TANs) for human rights, known as Amnesty International, “recorded and investigated human rights abuses in 160 countries and territories worldwide” (“Human Rights”). Even after the global ratification and support of documents and treaties that affirm the international human rights of all people, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), countries are still found of human rights violations against their own citizens today. As autocracies and unstable democracies are significantly more likely to commit human rights violations than established democracies, developed democratic, Western states should actively promote human rights on the international stage. By adopting policies focused on transitional justice and enforcing treaties with human rights provisions these Western states can attain results that benefit their own self interests and help cement their domestic and international reputations.
With the growing attention on human rights violations that occur today, Western states should advocate for the protection of human rights on the international level in order to realize their moral and philosophical motivations, which would also further establish their reputation both domestically and internationally. As Jeffry Frieden, David Lake and Kenneth Schultz explain in their textbook World Politics, humans are empathic and social creatures that “identify with a common humanity and feel personally affected by the welfare and treatment of others” (2016, p. 508). Just as Haitians garnered support internationally following the earthquake that hit their country in 2010 with nearly 15 billion dollars in donations after just 3 months, (Attkisson, 2010) people also sympathize with those that are denied their human rights. This explains why so many organizations have been created with the focus of protecting international human rights and bringing any such violations to justice, many of which are based in developed Western countries. As these organizations have played a pivotal role in educating the public about human rights and the violations that happen across the world, more people of these democratic countries are incentivized to actively engage in defending international human rights. For example, the international community has been criticized for its failure to assist Syrian citizens as they face human rights violations during their country’s civil war (Dehan, 2014). If Western states support the protection of human rights that they support domestically and those are valued by democratic nations, both their domestic constituents and fellow international nations will view them more favorably, increasing their reputation and standing as a democratic nation in the international sphere.
The basic human rights that developed Western countries should advocate for are those that are internationally established and consistent with their democratic values. Following the atrocities that occurred during World War II, the United Nations (UN) established the UDHR, and later the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) which are collectively referred to as the International Bill of Human Rights. These collective documents serve to establish the civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights that are internationally protected for all citizens. These documents that define international human rights have been modified and expanded for decades, and are not comprehensive of all human rights. Other documents exist that further expand the list of rights and as Frieden, Lake and Schultz argue in their textbook, “[i]nternational human rights are not fixed but are a product of struggle, debates, and social interests” (2016, p. 499). So as we progress as societies, what rights should be considered as universal for all will continue to be expanded upon.
In order to actively promote more effective collaboration between states to support universal rights, Western states should enact policy tools that have potential to ensure lasting institutions for the protection and endorsement of human rights, such as those that focus on transitional justice and multilateral treaty provisions. Transitional justice is a means of holding states accountable for their violations of human rights in a non-criminal manner, while focusing on acknowledging the abuses against the victims in order to provide justice for victims and ensure that such transgressions are not repeated again (“What is”, 2018). Forms of transitional justice include reformation of laws and institutions, reparations for human rights abuses, and commissions that publicize past abuses. This method of promotion is a viable option as it addresses the abuses against victims of human rights violations and the amnesty given to states incentivizes them to be more honest as opposed to refusing accusations in the face of repercussions or sanctions. However such amnesty is also controversial, especially for grave acts of abuse like genocides. Additionally, Western states can utilize treaties and trade agreements that contain strict human rights provisions in order to protect international rights. As the majority of countries are apart of at least one trade agreement, such institutions often include rigid human rights clauses that must be provided to citizens or states could expect forced withdrawal from the trade partnership. This type of institution forces and incentivizes all member states to comply and to provide basic human rights in fear of losing possible trading partners and economic interactions. Policy tools that focus on accountability have some of the most potential for advancing human rights protection internationally.
Although human rights violations continue in a majority of countries today, states can work together to incentivize each other to promote the conservation of human rights. Western states should actively engage in supporting and advocating for international human rights as they align with the values of democratic states and further the democratization of other states and international peace. The rights that these developed states should endorse are those that are outlined in internationally-established documents such as the International Bill of Rights, although they are not an exhaustive list and can still be further expanded. In order to promote and protect these rights, Western states must utilize effective policy tools that hold violators responsible and incentivize them to not attempt any more such abuses. By focusing on policy tools that have possible significance for the future maintenance of international human rights, developed Western states can incentivize others while furthering their own motivations.
Works Cited
Attkisson, S. (2010, April 22). Haiti Earthquake Aid: Nearly $15 Billion in Donations. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/haiti-earthquake-aid-nearly-15-billion-in-donations/
Dehahn, P. (2014, July 21). 9 Human Rights Tragedies the World Needs to Stop Ignoring. Retrieved from https://mic.com/articles/93738/9-human-rights-tragedies-the-world-needs-to-stop-ignoring#.vwQcrXaqB
Frieden, J. A., Lake, D. A., & Schultz K. A. (2016). World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.
Human Rights Facts & Figures for 2014. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/02/annual-report-201415-facts-and-figures/
What is Transitional Justice? | ICTJ. (2018, May 24). Retrieved from https://www.ictj.org/about/transitional-justice