Faculty Scholarship

Human Rights Enforcement in the Twenty-First Century

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2006

Abstract

Douglas Donoho, Human Rights Enforcement in the Twenty-First Century, 35 Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law 1 (2007). The international human rights system enters the twenty-first century facing a profound anomaly. Despite remarkable normative and institutional developments since the system's inception, the world remains mired in widespread violations of human dignity. Genocidal episodes have repeatedly scarred the consciousness of humankind since World War ll. Floods of refugees and simmering ethnic conflicts continually challenge the international community's capacity to respond, and grotesque forms of physical abuse, such as torture and summary execution, remain commonplace Despite a promising trend toward democratic governance around the world, basic civil liberties for countless millions remain only an empty promise.' Most disheartening of all, the two greatest enemies of human dignity, armed conflict and poverty, relentlessly plague the vast majority of humankind. It seems undeniable that the elaborate international human rights edifice, now often rhetorically central in international relations, has made and can continue to make some difference. Yet, it is equally undeniable that the system has yet to fulfill its promises or significantly reduce violations of human rights worldwide.

Publication Title

Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law

Publication Title (Abbreviation)

GaJInt'l&CompL

First Page

1

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