POLI 2P47 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: United Nations General Assembly, Moral Authority, Positive Law

• School: Brock University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 2P47
• Professor: Nancy Stefureak

Document Summary

Dual function of human rights: claims based on particular values/ principles, legal rights delineating entitlements and freedoms: codified law. Codified law is precise thus the need for non-binding areas of law i. e. declarations. Key issues: balance between protecting right and infringing on rights, gap between human rights standards and delivery. Critical to this: lack of international authority. Prior to ww2: little focus on human rights sovereignty key organizing concept. End of ww2: focus on hr unavoidable. First key initiative and founding: universal declaration of human. Declaration are always non-binding* (reference to international law) 1: slavery, world wars, decolonization and cold war. Cold war: mad and the stability of mankind. Nationalism, imperialism, weaponry + disregard for life = 3 areas of hr development. International institutions: ilo (international league organization) and league of. Monitors and reports on human rights violations. 2006: replaced with un human rights council. Upr: universal periodic review (1st cycle 2008-