Internationalizing Human Rights: Sovereignty, Politicization and International Order
Human Rights (and Wrongs)
USA Human Rights and China
The 21st Century Piracy and International Order
The Universal Declaration and Internationalization of Human Rights
Decades ago since the universal declaration of human rights, the question of the human rights has been acknowledged at the international level through various international treaties legislating international laws in this regards, especially in terms of war laws and war crimes in particular. Then, in general, human rights situations and human rights violations have started, to some extent, to be recognized as international affairs and concerns. This means that this question, especially in case of human rights violations, has been no more attached solely and exclusively to each sovereign state only, as these states consequently have international obligations and principles in this regard initiated, established and adopted by each state's sovereign decision in front of the international community and their domestic political societies.
However, as I suggested in a previous article, the internationalization of the human rights question, as a comprehensive and effective system, is still in its beginnings, and it lacks the means of application that can take the theory or the principles to the realization at the very actual level. In addition, this nascent system is also still lacks a legal structure and an applicable legal framework within the international law except for the reasonable international achievements on war crimes and, to a lesser extent, crimes against humanity questions.
The deficiencies of the international process of internationalizing human rights question came from many factors and realities. The most important of them, in my opinion, are state sovereignty, politicizing and international order.
State sovereignty is still the fundamental basis of the international order, and consequently the international relations, since Westphalia treaty in 1648. Then, the states are still reluctant to increase the international role in any situations classified as domestic taking place inside the state's borders. Consequently, this applies to human rights situations and further internationalization of this question.
On politicization factor, each state's policies and foreign relations are, by nature, intrinsically connected with the state's interests and advantages. Then, states' policies, positions and practices on international human rights affairs, particularly the human rights' international violations, and human rights internationalization in general are affected somehow, and to different extents, by states interests and advantages, which makes a room for politicizing the various international actions on this question that has a basic humanitarian nature and should be kept so to reinforce the international credibility and effectiveness in this regard.
On the factor of international order, it is the ultimate guarantee of a significant and effectual internationalization of human rights. The current international order has some flaws and deficiencies in this regard, but also it is evolving showing rolling progress on this question, considering its short lifetime since the end of the Cold War. There are many challenges and difficulties in the way of an international order impartially internationalizing and guaranteeing human rights in the world, but it has the chance to this end given the clear direction of the humanity over the history of civilization.
