Why Human Rights Emerged as an Important Issue in International Relations - Essay Example

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations has been drafted specifically for this purpose. Essentially, this tome defined human dignity, as against honor, which according to Berger, Berger and Kellner, always relates to the intrinsic humanity divested of all socially imposed roles or norms and that it pertains to the self as such, to the individual regardless of his position in society (Berger, Berger and Kellner 1974, 89-90). To demonstrate how the Declaration impacted international relations, there is the fact that it is often cited in UN resolutions of the General Assembly as well as the other agencies of the world body. More importantly, the Declaration has also been often used as the foundation of the constitution, laws and judicial decisions of numerous states, making the declaration some form of a standard measuring the progress of states and peoples toward realizing the full respect for human freedom.

Further on, there is also the power of technology and the integrating nature of communication and globalization that made it impossible for atrocities committed against individuals to be hidden from international scrutiny. An excellent example was when in 1983, peasants from Uchuraccay, Peru killed visiting journalists mistaking them as members of Sendero Lumino (SL), the most notorious terrorist group in Latin America. Because of this, Peru came to the attention of the world and human rights became part of the Peruvians’ ordinary language (Cleary 91). Non-governmental organizations have also been formed, with hundreds of thousands of volunteers, experts and civil servants pledging to pursue and protect international human rights.

The negative dimension to the human rights discourse in the context of international relations is demonstrated in the US-Latin American relations. A specific reference to the American policy towards human rights was contained in the inaugural address of US President Carter wherein he declared: “Because we are free, we can never be indifferent to the fate of freedom elsewhere” (Smith 145). Unfortunately, there are many critics that cite the complicity of the US foreign policy in the commission of human rights abuses in Latin America.

The argument is that, in the US’ desire to advance its own interests in the region, it has supported the military takeover of democratic governments and sided with authoritarian governments to commit abuses in order to perpetuate their regime – a situation favorable to America (Cleary 87). For example, in a document that has been declassified in 2004, Henry Kissinger is quoted telling Argentine generals: “If there are things that have to be done, you should do them quickly” (Sardenas 67). These kinds of international relations incidents pose a serious threat to the achievement of the ideal human rights for everyone. They demonstrate how the existing international frameworks that guarantee it can be bent or rejected especially when the perpetrator is a powerful country such as the US.

All in all the principle behind the importance of human rights in international relations is noble and entirely for the good of the international community. It is for this reason that it has been effective. With the integration of the world into one global society, its members are bound to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence. Human rights are crucial in this respect because it is one of the sets of common values and mores that are seen to reflect the collective aim of rejecting anarchy. There is a collective sense of responsibility and in addition, there is the belief that human rights violations in one country can affect the peace and security of others as well. But there would always be setbacks and threats. As illustrated by the US-Latin American relations, countries and parties that are more in the position to advance human rights are behind its sabotage. This is one of the problems that must be resolved if international human rights objectives are to be achieved.