Universal dignity, justice and accountability: protection of human rights and dealing with atrocities
Abstract
The notion that human beings have rights as humans is part of the contemporary world
and its politics. With respect to human rights, the United Nations (UN) plays a major role
in promoting, protecting, and expanding internationally accepted rights through
establishing several comprehensive agreements and mechanisms since 1945. Thus, on a
global level, human rights and the violations thereof have become a legitimate concern of
international society. However, there is a difference between declaring and practising human
rights.
Consequently, political changes have occurred all over the world in recent years where
several repressive regimes have been replaced with democratic or semi-democratic
governments. In the process, these regimes are confronted with the question of justice and
that accountability is due after atrocity. The widely held belief is that crimes against
humanity must be addressed and perpetrators have to be called to account, while justice has
to be determined.
The article will focus on what is understood by “human rights” and how the UN went
about to guarantee human rights and eliminate the violations thereof by implementing a
network of human rights instruments and mechanisms. The article will also indicate that,
in practice, there are certain difficulties with the enforcement of these UN Conventions. The
different options to be considered by countries in dealing with a violent legacy will be
examined to explain why many transitional societies prefer to establish a truth commission.