Difference between revisions of "Human Rights NGOs"
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Thirdly, human rights NGOs lobby in order to effectively enforce international human rights standards. The UN has responded to this lobbying by creating mechanisms such as “thematic and country mandates” and “Working Groups” that deal with issues relating to torture, killing, violence, and racism (Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights 2003:3). | Thirdly, human rights NGOs lobby in order to effectively enforce international human rights standards. The UN has responded to this lobbying by creating mechanisms such as “thematic and country mandates” and “Working Groups” that deal with issues relating to torture, killing, violence, and racism (Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights 2003:3). | ||
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| + | == Human Rights NGOs Today == | ||
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| + | Prior to the 1940s, the phrase “human rights” was seldom used; it rarely appeared in the media, textbooks, or newspapers. However, due to human rights NGOs, the phrase is now critically used throughout the world and has become part of everyday global discourse. Today, NGOs have become the major powerhouse in the human rights movement. These organizations have diverse agendas and exist in almost every country in the world. Human rights NGOs will continue to fight against, and cite, human rights violations internationally (Korey 1998). | ||
Revision as of 08:33, 4 August 2008
Contents
What is a Human Rights NGO?
Human rights NGOs devote their resources to the “promotion and protection” of universal human rights (Wiseberg 1991:529). Unlike governments, who tend to seek human rights for their own citizens, human rights NGOs fight for the security of human rights to all people. The human rights movement, which began after World War II, is a diverse movement comprised of thousands of NGOs that has spread throughout the world today (Wiseberg 1991).
History of Human Rights NGOs
In looking at the human rights movement and the role of NGOs, historians have primarily studied three periods that they see as three “waves” of activism (Cmiel 2004:12).
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