XI Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2019

The concept of human rights has existed under several names in European thought for many centuries, at least since the time of King John of England. After the king violated a number of ancient laws and customs by which England had been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which enumerated a number of what later came to be thought of as human rights. Among them were the right of the church to be free from governmental interference, the rights of all free citizens to own and inherit property and be free from excessive taxes. Magna Carta established principles of due process and equality before the law and it also contained provisions forbidding bribery and official misconduct. The political and religious traditions in other parts of the world also proclaimed what have come to be called human rights, calling on rulers to rule justly and compassionately, and delineating limits on their power over the lives, property, and activities of their citizens. In the United States, a bloody war over slavery came close to destroying a country founded only eighty years earlier on the premise that, "all men are created equal."

The women's rights movement succeeded in gaining for many women the right to vote. National liberation movements in many countries succeeded in driving out colonial powers. The modern human rights movement didn't invent any new principles. It was different from what preceded it primarily in its explicit rejection of political ideology and partisanship, and its demand that governments everywhere, regardless of ideology, adhere to certain basic principles of human rights in their treatment of their citizens. This appealed to a large group of people. many of whom were politically inactive, not interested in joining a political movement, not ideologically motivated. They were simply outraged that any government dared abuse, imprison, torture, and often kill human beings whose only crime was in believing differently from their government and saying so in public. They took to writing letters to governments and publicising the plights of these people in hopes or persuading or embarrassing abusive governments into better behaviour.

There exist many international organizations on Human Rights.

Commission on Human Rights.

Commission on Human Rights has been the central architect of the work of the United Nations in the field of human rights. Commission on Human Rights procedures and mechanisms are mandated 10 examine, monitor and publicly report either on human rights situations in specific countries or on major phenomena of human rights violations world-wide. The main themes addressed by the Commission are: the right to self-determination; racism; the right to development; the question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world; economic, social and cultural rights; civil and political rights, including freedom of expression, the independence of the judiciary, impunity and religious intolerance.

Amnesty International.

Amnesty International seeks to inform public opinion about violations of human rights, especially the abridgements of freedom of speech and of religion and the imprisonment and torture of political dissidents, and which actively seeks the release of political prisoners and the relief, when necessary, of their families. Aside from generally publicising governmental wrongdoing in newsletters, annual reports, and background papers, Amnesty International relies strongly on the world-wide distribution of "adoption groups," each of which, staffed by three to eight persons, takes on a limited number of cases of "prisoners of conscience" and barrages the offending government with letters of protest until the prisoners are released. Amnesty International is headquartered in London. Amnesty International's logo is a burning candle wrapped in barbed wire.

Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organisation dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. Human Rights Watch believes that international standards of human rights apply to all people equally, and that sharp vigilance and timely protest can prevent the tragedies of the twentieth century from recurring. It stands with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. It investigates and exposes human rights violations and holds abusers accountable. It challenges governments and those who hold power to end .illusive practices and respect international human rights law. Human Rights Watch is based in New York.

References:

1.Adler, N.J. International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour / N.J. Adler. – Second Edition – Boston, Massachusetts: PWS-KENT Publishing company, 1991. – 313 p.

2.Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. – Pearson Education Ltd, 2003. – 1949 p.

3. Википедия : свободная энциклопедия [Электронный ресурс] – Режим доступа : www.wikipedia.org. – Дата доступа : 10.09.2008.