The Role of Human Rights in Effective Peacebuilding

The Role of Human Rights in Effective Peacebuilding

The Selected Conflict and the Human Rights Issue(S) or Violation(S) Involved in the Conflict

Human rights play a significant role in the relationships among humans. According to Shirch (2015), human rights act as a moral guide for people at every societal level. Therefore, a violation of human rights may cause conflict in society. Conflicts also arise when two or a group of people have diverse identities and consider one another as threats to the continued existence of their identity group (Christie et al., 2001). One of the conflicts linked to human rights violations is armed conflict. Many countries worldwide have experienced armed conflict, which results in the violation of human rights. For instance, armed conflict leads to torture and mass killing, which violate human rights. Armed conflict may also involve the use of prohibited weapons that expose humans to death and injury. For instance, the current war in Syria has raised global attention because of the violation of human rights, including the killing of humans, including children, and the use of bombs to kill people and destroy property. The pictures of dead and injured people and children on the internet have prompted human rights activists to hold protests against the war.

Why and How the Human Rights Issue(S) or Violation(S) Contributes (or Contributed) to this Conflict

Human rights violations create enemity between the people affected by the violations and the people responsible for the violations. For example, people may hold protests against the government if they believe that the government is behind the torture and mass killing of citizens, which increases the likelihood of armed conflict if the government deploys law enforcement officers to handle the protestors. Human rights violations such as torture and mass killing also contribute to armed conflict by provoking people to take action against the people accused of human rights violations. For example, the Syrian war has increased the armed conflict in the country as people protest against the attacks that have led to massive loss of life and destruction of property. Torture and mass killings may also increase armed conflict when the people affected by the human rights, such as people who have lost their loved ones because of the mass killings or the people whose loved ones have been tortured, seek revenge when they are unable to get justice.

Why Human Rights Are Essential for Peace

Human rights play a significant role in promoting peace within a society by ensuring that everyone knows what is expected of them. For instance, human rights ensure that people recognize the dignity of others, leading to respect for other people’s well-being, which results in peace. Human rights also give people the freedom to make choices about their lives and develop their potential as human beings, leading to peace. For example, people can use the resources they have to achieve their goals without conflicting with other people, thus creating a foundation for peace. Human rights are also essential in ensuring that people do not live in fear, which results in peace. For example, when people are not living in fear, they do not develop the need for weapons and defense tools that could create violence if they are threatened. Therefore, people can address their conflicts peacefully by considering the human rights that have been violated and each party’s liability for the human rights violations. Human rights are also essential for peace because they prevent the discrimination of people, which could lead to conflict and violence. For instance, human rights ensure that everyone, regardless of their background and social class, is treated equally, thus preventing conflict that may create violence.

 References

Christie, D. J., Wagner, R. V., & Winter, D. D. (2001). Peace, conflict, and violence: Peace psychology for the 21st century. ‎ Pearson College Div.

Shirt, L. (2015). The little book of strategic Peacebuilding: A vision and framework for peace with justice. Simon & Schuster.

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Peacebuilding can be successful only when human rights are protected. In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration includes 30 articles, and each article details a unique human right, such as the right to nationality, the right to education, and the right to life, liberty, and security of person. Despite the Declaration, human rights are not always protected before, during, or after conflict.
To prepare for this assignment:

The Role of Human Rights in Effective Peacebuilding

Review Chapter 3 in your course text, The Little Book of Strategic Peacebuilding. Pay particular attention to the information on human needs and human rights.
Review the article, “What Human Rights Are,” and note the definition of human rights.
Review the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” and focus on the details of each human right.
Review the article, “China: Tiananmen’s Unhealed Wounds” and think about how human rights violations can contribute to conflict.
Select a conflict, current or historical, that involves (or involved) a human rights issue(s) or violation(s).* Reflect on why and how the human right(s) or violation(s) contributed to or otherwise played a role in the conflict.
Consider why human rights are essential for peace.
The assignment: (2–4 pages)