So far…  Liberalism  UN Charter  UDHR

Cassin’s Portico: UDHR “Integrated” Document

What UDHR Achieved 58 member states with varied  Ideologies  Political systems  Religious and Cultural backgrounds  Socio-economic development First time HR set forth in such detail Principles enshrined in national legislations HR should be taken together

Claims and Implementation What kinds of claims can be made?  Civil  Political  Economic  Social  Cultural How are they made?

Concepts to know in relation to HR  Anti-majoritarian  Hegemony  Between states  Peacetime  Premised on a particular notion of personhood – the self-possessed individual  Share principles  Soft power  What doesn’t the UDHR Cover/address?

Where we are going..  Institutionalization  Enforcement/Adjudication/Supranational Mechanisms for Implementation of HR “Norms”

United Nations

UN EMBLEMUN FLAG

UN Organs Chart 

General Assembly  192 Member countries  Each with one vote  Meets annually  Members discuss, debate, recommend  No binding authority  Approves UN’s budget  Establish agencies and programs to carry out recommendations.

Security Council  Maintain and restore international peace  Decisions are binding on all UN members  Power to define threat + determine actions  Enforce decisions by ordering members to act  15 members; 5 permanent; 10 rotating  Decisions require 9 votes BUT  Veto right of the great powers  Convenes any time of “threat to the peace”

Security Council

Secretariat  UN’s executive branch  Oversees administration of UN’s policies  Day-to-day administration  Headed by SG, who is UN’s spokesperson  Develop international civil service of diplomats and bureaucrats whose loyalties are not tied to any one country

Secretary General  Chosen by General Assembly  Nominated by SC  5-year renewable term  Brings issues to SC  Mediates over conflicts

Secretaries General

Economic and Social Council or ECOSOC  Coordinates UN’s economic and social work  54 member countries elected by GA  3-year terms  Studies and recommends actions on international topics, i.e. medicine, education  5 regional commissions  9 topical commissions  Specialized agencies provide social services

International Court of Justice  aka World Court, The Hague, The Netherlands  Judicial arm of UN; do not confuse with ICC  15 judges elected by SC/GA  No requirement to participate  No stare decisis (decisions binding on parties)  States are parties (not individuals)  Advisory Opinions

ICJ aka World Court

Trusteeship Council  Est. to oversee transition of certain colonies to independence  Last of those colonies gained independence in 1994  obsolete

Membership in the UN  New members admitted with recommendation by SC and 2/3 vote of GA  Early years UN West-dominated  Balance of power changed in 50s – 60s  US primary user of veto  Taiwan issue

FUNDING  Member states pay dues  Based on wealth and ability to pay  Member states also make additional $$ contributions for peacekeeping missions  US largest contributor, 22% of UN’s 2006 budget; 26% of peacekeeping 

Towards the end of promoting peace and security  Peacekeeping  Economic development  Global environment  Arms control, disarmament  Human rights

Peacekeeping = non-aggressive use of military force to settle conflicts.  UN peacekeepers = Neutral  Observers  Buffer  Negotiators  Monitor ceasefires  Supervise elections  Provide humanitarian aid

Peacekeeping continued  Lightly armed  SC grants authority for peacekeeping mission  UN has no army; SC borrows members  SC chooses a single commander  Conflicting parties must agree to UN presence  Funding - single biggest reason for lack of use  From peacemaking to peacekeeping  Now PEACEBUILDING

Peacebuilding  Action to support structures that will strengthen and consolidate peace by fostering international development, social justice, protection of human rights, good governance and the democratic process