GROUP II
REVIEW OF HISTORY OF UN AND ITS HUMAN RIGHTS
MANDATE FROM THE TIME OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS TO DATE
GROUP 2 MEMBERS
GROUP II MEMBERS
ALBRIGHT ODERO. L11/04288/23.
AUSTINE ODHIAMBO WANYANJA. L11/09943/22.
NZUKI ROBERT. M. L11/04222/23.
SHARON ATIENO OKOTH. L11/04283/23.
DACHE DAVID. L11/04271/23.
WINNY JUVENTA. L11/04279/23.
MONIVA ASENATE. L11/04293/23.
WINNIE AKINYI ODIRA. L11/04281/23
INTRODUCTION
After World War I, it became associated with international human rights concerns.
The League of Nations (1920) was the first effort at international governance.
It was replaced in 1945 by a stronger set of human rights parameters from the United Nations.
Objective: Examine the evolution from the League to the United Nation's modern human rights efforts.
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Established: January 10, 1920, after WWI.
The League's main goal remained peace enforcement while protecting human rights through its operations.
o Mandate System (governance of former colonies).
o Nansen Passport (support for stateless refugees).
o Anti-slavery initiatives (Middle East & Africa).
o Protection of ethnic minorities in new European states.
However, it lacked enforcement power.
FAILURE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS IN HUMAN RIGHTS
PROTECTION
Lack of enforcement: There are no armed forces to enforce the resolutions established through the League.
Failure to stop aggression:
o Japan in Manchuria (1931) – Led to mass human rights violations.
o The League of Nations demonstrated failure to protect human populations when Italy invaded Ethiopia in
1935.
Political bias and inaction: Countries with significant power status avoided decision implementation whenever it
proved inconvenient.
Withdrawal of key nations: Several key nations chose to leave respectively, including the United States, which
declined to join, and Germany, alongside Japan, declined to membership.
Impact: The League suffered a complete collapse, and the United Nations (UN) emerged as a new international
body in 1945.
FORMATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE UN CHARTER
The organization formed on October 24, 1945, immediately following WWII, aims to stop future wars.
Key Influences:
o Atlantic Charter (1941): Set groundwork for human rights.
o The San Francisco Conference of 1945 served as the platform that wrote and confirmed the United
Nations Charter.
UN Charter:
o Article 1(3): Calls for respect for human rights globally.
o The United Nations requires its member states to support human rights through Articles 55 and 56
provisions actively.
o Article 76: Ensures respect for human rights in trust territories.
The organization, founded with 51 members in the past, has grown to include 193 nations today.
CORE UN BODIES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION
General assembly: Adopts human rights treaties & conventions.
Security council: The Security Council uses its authority to monitor human rights matters in war areas while
implementing restrictive measures.
Secretariat: All programs featuring human rights come under the direction of the Secretary-General through
the Secretariat division.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Coordinates with NGOs & UN agencies.
International Court of Justice (ICJ): The court is the judicial body that decides conflicts regarding human
rights breaches.
UN Human Rights Council: Human rights investigations and recommendation generation are tasks.
KEY UN HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVES
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) – 1948
o Defines fundamental human rights (freedom, equality, dignity).
Key human rights treaties:
o Civil, political, economic & social rights from ICCPR & ICESCR (1966).
o Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1989).
o Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979)
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) – 1993:
o Monitors violations & supports governments.
International Criminal Court (ICC): Prosecutes war crimes & genocide.
UN HUMAN RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT – STRENGHT AND WEAKNESSES
Successes:
o Human rights are embedded into international law.
o Sentinels of peacekeeping missions were deployed to protect civilians.
o International tribunals for crimes in Rwanda, Yugoslavia, etc.
o Humanitarian aid is provided by UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO, WFP)
Challenges:
o No direct enforcement power.
o Powerful nations have a veto power in the Security Council, making blocking action possible.
o Frequently, funding and politics will limit effectiveness.
o Inconsistencies in response to human rights violations.
CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES AND FUTURE OF UN HUMAN
RIGHTS EFFORTS
Contemporary challenges
o Rising authoritarian: Several states demonstrate growing authoritarian tendencies because they refuse to
let human rights organizations supervise their activities.
o Ongoing conflicts: The UN struggles to intervene in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa.
o Digital and rights violations: The rights involving digital technology and artificial intelligence experience
violations through surveillance practices, censorship measures, and dissemination of false information.
o Climate change: Climate change leads to mass displacement as it violates the environmental rights of
people.
o Persistent inequality: Economic disparity, gender & racial issues.
CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES AND FUTURE OF UN HUMAN
RIGHTS EFFORTS CON…
Future Strategies:
o The construction of effective accountability systems will be achievable through enhanced sanctioning
measures and close monitoring.
o Organizations need to create regulations for AI and online rights to adjust to digital challenges.
o Human rights policymakers should incorporate climate justice throughout their policies.
o Nonprofits and grassroots-level organizations should receive empowerment to advance their social
initiatives.
