Human rights are the automatic and natural rights and the freedom that an individual is entitled to irrespective of their diversity in terms of gender, race, origin or any other area of human diversity. These rights hence allow every human being to be treated equally and impartially.
James1 contends that human rights maintain the radar on the peoples’ freedom to develop and make independent choices as human beings. Freedom to grow and develop requires physical, emotional and social growth without fear, bigotry or aggravation.
Foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world is bestowed on the fact that there are equal rights to all members of the human race. Disregard to human rights have led to violations of human conscience resulting from restrictions to speaking out, fear and general oppression, restriction of movement and many other acts violating human rights.
Due to the effects of these barbaric acts, it is fit for the human rights to be protected by law through different bodies that have since been formed, a factor that leads to development of friendly relations among those within a country and abroad.
There is therefore a need for human right to be adhered to, respected and protected, failure to which there should be intervention by the affiliate bodies, non-government organizations and the international community. More specifically, the international community has power to really effect on those violating human rights and hence bringing soberness to the situation.
The dignity and worth to all human beings encourages social progress and improves the quality of all people irrespective of their gender, age, color, language or ethnic group2. Mindful declarations therefore strive to educate and promote the respect for rights and freedoms and implementation of progressive measures that secure the recognition of the importance and observance of the freedoms and rights3.
Human rights are traced during the insurgency time of Protestants. This was after the conservatism of religious conviction and after authoritarianism feudal had disappeared. The birth of mass communication and media in the form of radio, telecommunications and internet catapulted the knowledge of human rights by majority in the modern times.
Technological dominance of the modern age has also speeded up the formalization process of human rights3. Human rights entail acting and treating each other in the fortitude of brotherhood.
Some of the rights of human beings include; right to life, safety and independence, right to be recognized as a person, rights and freedom of movements and residence within the borders of a state, right to live and return to native country, right to nationality, right to ownership of property as an individual and jointly, freedom of peaceful assembly and associations, right to take part in government either directly or indirectly, right to equal access of public goods and services, right to leisure and periodic work with pay, right to form and join unions that protect personal and joint interests, right to equal pay for equal effort without favoritism, right to work in humanitarian conditions and with proper pay, freedom of participation in cultural activities of their communities and rights to protect moral interests.
Parents also have the right to choose the learning scheme they believe is best for their off springs4.
The human rights protect people from political, societal and officially authorized abuses. The rights of human beings exist in conscience, principles, the law and the integrity of all among the locals and internationally5. This implies that human rights are universal.
The roles of these rights include protection against murder, protection against abuses of the legal system, for example imprisonment without fair trial, protection of beliefs, movement and assembly, protection of the liberty to participate in politics (voting and serving in a public offices), protection against severe poverty and hunger and protection of willingness and ability to be to educated.
Human rights interventions come in place because of the denial of elemental ethical entitlements to humans. Violations of human rights means treatment to a particular individual or group in a manner suggesting that they are less than human and they do not deserve the dignity and treatment with respect6. As a result of these violations, several laws both locally and internationally have been enacted to preserve all aspects of humanity.
These laws are meant to inculcate peaceful coexistence and limit violence so as to bring back the rational of being human. Both external and internal peace is crucial in safeguarding human rights, prevention of conflicts and bringing about political sanity among citizens and the politicians7.
Humanitarian interventions are important in maintaining the civil society and in promotion of attitudes that encourage tolerance and mutual respect among members of the human race.
More importantly, according to Mertus, this form of intervention is not only aimed at law enforcement but Also on ensuring that there is creation of positive attitude and consciousness towards protection of human rights so that everyone has the capacity, awareness and willingness to protect them 8.
For humanitarian interventions to be successful in realizing its objectives, it should be legitimate and motivated by genuine humanitarian concerns. There should be a legal process to deal with those who violate human rights. It should highlight the existing abuse, should not be politically motivated and should have no specific interests. In solving the human rights problems, the underlying causes of the violations should be evaluated.
The evaluation process should identify the effects of the violations which range from underdevelopment, economic pressures, and several social problems9. Understanding the root causes help in strengthening the economic, political and civil society.
Most organizations focus mainly on the intervention process, which is just a half of the whole process of legality of human rights. There should be a process of isolating the modes of violations and then planning on how to avoid a repeat of the same.
An ideal initiative to curb human rights violation requires that the people should be educated on positive attitude management that encourages a variety of positive behavior patterns10. Culture plays a great role in modifying behavior and therefore focus should be placed on progressive development of rationality in the different cultures11.
Since human rights affect and concern all of us in one way or the other, everyone should stand up and protect them irrespectively. Also, since they are usually associated with our perceptions and principles, it is proper to inculcate the good behaviors in the future generations such that a global generation of people who say no once they have the feeling of choices that could lead to violations is created.
It is important to build a positive attitude for purposes of progressive behavior change. Behavior change is the element of humanity required to always refuse when feelings leading to choices of violations of human rights crosses the mind. This is crucial in promoting rationality and dignity among the human nature. Human rights should be respected at all times and in all places including the work place.
Political and societal welfare is important in enhancing the prevalence of peaceful coexistence. The stability in these important national and international institutions encourage respect for each other, which is vital in promoting dignity among all people including those occupying the lowest ranks in society12.
In addition, it is necessary for the bodies designated with the task of ensuring that human rights are respected across the globe and not violated to ensure they work hand-in-hand with, and not against, the natural groupings that are already present in the society such as the religious and cultural groups.
Through appreciating these groups and treating them and their beliefs with respect, it will be easier for bodies such as the UN to intervene or enact the acts of humanity amongst the people in the group, and consecutively in the society13.
Bibliography
Branch, Adam. Displacing Human Rights: War and Intervention in Northern Uganda. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Donnelly, Jack. Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice (2nd ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2002.
Matl’ary, Janne. Intervention for human rights in Europe. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.
Mertus, Julie. The United Nations and human rights: a guide for a new era London: Routledge, 2009.
Murphy, Sean. “Humanitarian intervention: the United Nations in an evolving world order.” Procedural aspects of international law series, 118-125. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996.
Nickel, James. Making sense of human rights. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell, 2007.
Orford, Anne. “Reading humanitarian intervention: human rights and the use of force in international law,” Cambridge studies in international and comparative law, London: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Work Cited
1. James Nickel, Making sense of human rights (New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell), 21-34.
2. Janne Matl’ary. Intervention for human rights in Europe, (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002).
3. Sean Murphy, “Humanitarian intervention: the United Nations in an evolving world order”. Procedural aspects of international law series (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press), 118-125.
4. James Nickel, Making sense of human rights (New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell) 91-108.
5. Adam Branch, Displacing Human Rights: War and Intervention in Northern Uganda (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011).
6. Anne Orford, “Reading humanitarian intervention: human rights and the use of force in international law”, Cambridge studies in international and comparative law (London: Cambridge University Press).
7. Janne Matl’ary, Intervention for human rights in Europe, (New York: Palgrave Macmillan).
8. Julie Mertus, The United Nations and human rights: a guide for a new era (London: Routledge), 3-5.
9. Anne Orford. “Reading humanitarian intervention: human rights and the use of force,” International law Volume 30 of Cambridge studies in international and comparative law, London: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
10. Nickel, James. Making sense of human rights (New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell).
12. Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice (2nd ed) (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press), pp. 208-215.
13. Ibid, 122-131. Jack Donnelly, Universal human rights in theory and practice (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press), 89-90.