By Fatma Yaren Birben
Is the era of human rights really over or did it just get wounded for a while and is still?
continuing to develop? I am asking this question because recently, it has been observed that there are no existing human rights in world societies. It is not surprising to be seen like that as there have been many violations to it. Recently, increasing inequalities, racism, and sexism can create doubts about human rights. However, I do not believe that the era of human rights is over. I believe that there are still some positive improvements in it. In this essay, I will mention some developments that can form as evidence that human rights still exist. Then, I will talk about developmental steps towards human rights in Africa.
Recently, it has been perceived that human rights are violated. For example, according to the research of the best-known American NGO, Freedom House, it is almost impossible in some countries to mention human rights. In Freedom House Report’s content, the main focus was identifying states in which individuals had almost no opportunity for the most basic rights. Furthermore, it tried to identify some state regimes whose citizens experienced severe punishments for independent thoughts, actions and where a few or no dissident activity was allowed to exist. According to the report, in 9 countries and in one territory, folks live in extremely overbearing environments with minimal basic rights and permanent human rights violations. Countries like, Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Tibet, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have the worst human rights circumstances receiving the lowest possible score of on both political rights and civil liberties. However, these countries’ citizens can be protected legally thanks to international human rights law because it provides some obligations. These states can become parties in international treaties and these obligations provide them to be respected and protected internationally. These obligations can protect these countries’ individuals and groups opposed to human rights abuses. Obligations which countries must obey, oblige states to take positive actions to facilitate the gratification of basic human rights. Governments which cannot provide their citizens to have basic human rights can apply these international obligations to their domestic legal systems. In their domestic legal system, the primary legal protection of human rights of citizens can be guaranteed under international law. In this case, individuals or groups can accuse their states if domestic legal proceedings fail to reach human rights abuses. Therefore, international human law would provide individuals freedom to benefit their basic human rights both at the regional and international level.
Moreover, articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights basically stated that human beings have rights of freedom, independence, equality, security, education and property. In the declaration, it has been emphasized that every individual must have these basic human rights. Any government, group or individual cannot destroy any of provisions of the declaration for the purpose of blocking indiviuals’ freedoms and rights by any organizations or actions. Therefore, this declaration can protect individuals’ human rights universally because individuals can make their voices be heard internationally. Besides, Human Rights Conventions, Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights can all try to protect human rights of individuals and ensure equality and freedom.
I would like to talk about a case in the region of Africa to illustrate that many important steps have been taken there, in terms of human rights. In Africa, there is a mechanism called, The Regional African Human Rights Model.Its rules and institutions are based on particular real-life concerns that African people have about their claims that their human rights are being violated. This model tried to address African peoples’ concerns by its legitimized norms. For instance, African people have some complaints about the education system in Africa. African people think that the education system is insuffiecient because they claim that gender discrimination and racism are present in their education system. Also, African governments do not allocate national budgets for education, there are lack of incentives and lack of access to education according to African people. Thus, The Regional African Human Rights model tries to find resoultions to the education problem of African people as education is a fundamental right of human beings.
In addition, African people have complaints that their indiviual income level is very below of normal standards. Most African people are very poor and they live in poor neighbourhoods. They do not have enough money to live in better conditions or they do not have access to education because they are economically very poor. This model tries to address the problems about income inequalities by targeting poverty and rising the walfare levels of African people. For instance, it studies on a program which aims as a ‘pure developmental goal’. According to this new program, some institutions like IMF or World Bank would offer help to solve serious socio- economic problems of Africa by subsidizing African countries. Thus, African people can live in better conditions and their economic rights can be ensured by the governments.
As a consequence, I do not believe that the age of human rights are over due to the many international institutions available to protect and provide human rights. In my opinion, every individual has the right to live in better conditions, the right to freedom, education, equality, and security. Maybe, it is perceived as the age of human rights is over, but it is not. It still exists.
Works Cited:
Beiter, Klaus D. “ Is the age of human rights really over- the right to education in
Africa- domestication, human rights-based development, and extraterritorial state obligations.” Georgetown Journal of International Law. Vol.49, Issue 1 (2017) : p. 9-88.
HeinOnline. Web, 6 April 2019.
Wilmer, Franke. “ Human Rights in International Politic An Introduction”. Lynne
Rienner Publishers. (2015) : p. 36- 41 . Web, 23 April 2019.
“Freedom House Reveals the World's Worst Human Rights Abusers.” Freedom House.
worlds-worst-human-rights-abusers. Web,6 May 2019.
“Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations, United Nations. Retrieved
“Human Rights Law.” United Nations, United Nations. Retrieved From
Web, 6 May 2019.
Mutua, Makau W. “ Is the age of human rights over?”. Routledge Companion to Literature and Human Rights, ed. Sophia A. McClennen and Alexandra Schultheis
Moore (London and New York: Routledge, 2016), pp. 450-458. SSRN. Web, 6 May 2019.
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