International Human Rights
Regimes
IREn4004 International Law and Regimes
Hubert Smekal
hsmekal@fss.muni.cz
Aims of the seminars
• Intro to HR
• Intro to IHR research
• Understanding uniqueness of IHR treaties
• Knowledge of major IHR regimes
• Discussion:
• Why do states make IHR commitments?
• What are the effects of IHR commitments?
HR?
HR expansion
• Media
• Subjects of rights
• Number of rights
• HR in IR
Issues with HR
• Philosophical (foundation)
• Universalism and cultural relativism
• Generations of rights
• Subjects of rights
A short historical excursion
First international HR efforts
• Abolishing slavery
• Humanitarian law
• Protection of minorities
BUT: 19th century – first international treaties touching on HR, but not
dealing with the state – individual relationship
Doctrine: IHRL is not law, only states are subjects of law
Historical excursion
Big trends after WW2
• Constitutions and bills of rights
• Constitutional courts
• Internationalization
1970s
• UN Covenants
• INGOs
• Carter (US FR)
• Helsinki process
Turn in IL
Post WW2: IHR treaties against genocide, torture etc.
Highlight: Protocol 11 to ECHR (1998) – an individual can complain
against a state at an international court (ECtHR). Parties to the ECHR let
an international body to review their behavior.
Our age, is the age of rights
(Henkin 1990, p. ix)
Turn in IL
ICTY – Tadić
It would be a travesty of law and a betrayal of the universal need for
justice, should the concept of State sovereignty be allowed to be
raised successfully against human rights. Borders should not be
considered as a shield against the reach of the law and as a
protection for those who trample underfoot the most elementary
rights of humanity.
IHR regimes
• Level
• Global
• Regional
• Rights
• General lists of rights
• Specific rights
• Specific right-holders
International regimes
• IR = systems of norms and processes accepted by states as binding in
specified areas
• Jack Donnelly – ACTIVITIES
• Enforcing (binding decision-making + monitoring)
• Implementing (monitoring + coordination)
• Promotional (encouragement, assistance)
IHR regimes
DONNELLY (2003): 128.
Regional HR regimes
DONNELLY (2003): 130.
Thematic HR regimes
DONNELLY (2003): 131.
Hafner-Burton – Tsutsui (2005) AJS
Šipulová – Janovský - Smekal
Historic trends in IHR commitments
Šipulová – Janovský - Smekal
Changes in international regime
Why do states make IHR commitments?
Why do I ask?
(How do IHR commitments differ from other treaties?)
How to weaken a HR commitment?
Dilemma: inclusion or compliance?
Global HR regime (UN)
Source: https://www.ohchr.org/en/
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Global HR regime (UN)
Czechia in UN HR regime
Czechia in UN HR regime
Global HR regime (UN)
UN HR Commission
Zdroj:
Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eleanor_Ro
osevelt_UDHR_(27758131387).jpg
UN HR Council
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Human_Rights_Council