6.10 Protecting Human Rights Globally


How should society respond when an aspect of culture seems to interfere with the rights of a particular group? Is the beating of children or mistreatment of women acceptable if it occurs because of the cultural values of certain groups? If a society operates under a caste system in which certain groups are unable to advance due to their membership in a group, who decides if justice should prevail?


Martin Luther King Jr., shown with other civil rights leaders on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington, D.C.
James P Blair/National Geographic Stock

No easy answers are possible to these questions, but in our globalizing world we can hope that every society will learn to accept the inherent dignity of every individual.

Some international bodies deal with human rights, but there is no international law. The following are a couple of international bodies that deal with widespread human rights issues or issues such as war crimes:

  • International Criminal Court

  • International Court of Justice

These bodies are not recognized by all governments around the world. A number of non-democratic nations and the democratic United States do not recognize that these bodies have any authority over them.

International organizations monitor human rights abuses. Many non-governmental organizations monitor and report on international abuses of human rights. These agencies often have branches around the world. They check and report independently on violations of human rights. Their reports are made public and are intended to encourage individuals and governments to take action. The following are a few such organizations. It is important to note that each of these organizations makes decisions about which rights to prioritize, and in some cases, what counts as a human rights violation. As such, they are not impartial organizations, and you may or may not agree with their decisions.

  • Amnesty International

  • Human Rights Watch

  • Freedom House