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How to Tackle Human Rights Issues at Work?

It is unfortunate that workplace human rights issues have not been properly understood by the managers and supervisors because of its complex nature.  The onus of preventing human rights violations is the responsibility of management professionals in charge of workplace.
The third report to the UN Human Rights Council, submitted earlier this year, outlines a new policy framework for human rights at work place that comprises three core principles 
-Governments’ duty to protect human rights
-Corporate responsibility to respect human rights
-The need for greater access by victims to effective remedies
These core principles have been endorsed by major international business associations and leading international human rights organizations alike. As a follow-up, chief executives from around the world have issued a call to action to renew their commitment to the protection of human rights in the spirit of the Universal Declaration. Organized by the United Nations Global Compact and already signed by nearly 250 business leaders from 68 countries, the CEO Statement is an expression of serious intent.
More than ever before, business leaders around the world seem to agree that the protection of human rights, beyond its moral and ethical compulsion, also make good business sense. Ensuring decent and safe workplace conditions, promoting non-discrimination and equitable justice and fair play in employment, respecting and safeguarding the rights of employees have all become central issues to the long-term sustainability of business.
At the same time, a lot more still needs to be done to make managements understand their basic responsibility to respect human rights and the steps companies need to take to ensure that they are living up to the laid down codes. Even the most committed managers say they need more practical and authoritative guidance on what human rights mean and how these issues can best achieved in their day-to-day operations.  Many companies are yet to provide basic services such as education, healthcare or safe drinking water and sanitation.
There is growing concern that if a number of workplace issues are not successfully protected against, it can impact the human rights of employees. Human Rights policies in many companies are at an infantile stage of development. Larger organizations may have Human Rights policy to ensure they are not supporting work that impacts the human rights of others.
Many of the principles of the Human Rights Act are designed to protect the worker within the workplace. For example, the workers have the right to a private and family life. So an employer who discriminates on personal grounds, for example, may be violating that worker’s right to a private life. The employer has the right to monitor communications within the workplace as long as the worker is aware of the monitoring before it takes place. A worker’s right to a private life means he or she has the right to some privacy in the workplace. If the employer doesn’t respect this, he is breaching human rights law. If the worker believes his human rights at work have been breached, he should talk to his employer first. If it is not effective, he can follow the internal grievance procedure, if any, in the written statement of employment. If that doesn’t work, he may take legal action.
The scenario is however changing and despite the current economic crisis, a growing number of business leaders and management professionals understand that human rights issues are of direct relevance to their long term success.

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Globalization, State, Mass Media and Human Rights

Globalization, State, Mass Media and Human Rights

                                                                                                 

‘The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government’……………  Thomas Jefferson.

‘The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy’.……………Alex Carey

‘States are not moral agents, people are, and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions’……………Noam Chomsky

‘When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist’……………Dom Helder Camara

Human Rights:

Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent. Human rights are what make us human. When we speak of the right to life, or development, or to dissent and diversity, we are speaking of tolerance. Tolerance will ensure all freedoms. Without it, we can be certain of none.

Human Rights are:
The rights that someone has simply because he or she is a human being.

•         Universal

•         Interconnected

•         Indivisible

Common Myths about Human Rights:

•           Human Rights are the same as civil rights.

•           Human Rights violations occur only in poor, foreign countries.

•           Human Rights are only concerned with violations.

•           Only adults and lawyers can understand the significance of Human Rights.

•           Human Rights are only legal rights.

•           Both Rights and Responsibilities

Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was drafted by the UN Commission on Human Rights chaired by, then first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.  The UDHR was adopted by the 56 member nations of the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. 

December 10th is now celebrated around the world as International Human Rights Day.  There are now188 member states in the United Nations that, upon membership, agreed to educate their citizens about the principles of the UDHR. Most of these countries have incorporated the principles of the UDHR into their constitutions.

Five Primary Categories of Human Rights:

•         Civil Rights

•         Political Rights

•         Economic Rights

•         Social Rights

•         Cultural Rights

Human Rights Education:

          Human rights Education is necessary for each and every one in the society. By knowing human rights it is possible to follow rules & regulation and rights & duties.

•         Produces changes in values and attitudes

•         Produces changes in behavior

•         Produces empowerment for social justice

•         Develops attitudes of solidarity across issues and nations

•         Develops knowledge and analytical skills

•         Produces participatory education

 

Globalization:

Globalization is the tendency of businesses, technologies, or philosophies to spread throughout the world, or the process of making this happen. The global economy is sometimes referred to as globality, characterized as a totally interconnected marketplace, unhampered by time zones or national boundaries. The proliferation of McDonalds restaurants around the world is an example of globalization; the fact that they adapt their menus to suit local tastes is an example of globalization (also known as internationalization), a combination of globalization and localization.

Globalization and Human Rights:

Globalization—the growing interpenetration of states, markets, communications, and ideas across borders—is one of the leading characteristics of the contemporary world. International norms and institutions for the protection of human rights are more developed than at any previous point in history, while global civil society fosters growing avenues of appeal for citizens repressed by their own states. But assaults on fundamental human dignity continue, and the very blurring of borders and rise of transnational actors that facilitated the development of a global human rights regime may also be generating new sources of human rights abuse. Even as they are more broadly articulated and accepted, the rights of individuals have come to depend ever more on a broad array of global actors and forces, from ministries to multinationals to missionaries.

Globalization is a package of transnational flows of people, production, investment, information, ideas, and authority (not new, but stronger and faster). Human rights are a set of claims and entitlements to human dignity, which the existing international regime assumes will be provided (or threatened) by the state. A more cosmopolitan and open international system should free individuals to pursue their rights, but large numbers of people seem to be suffering from both long-standing state repression and new denials of rights linked to transnational forces. The essays in this volume show that the challenge of globalization is that unaccountable flows of migration and open markets present new threats, which are not amenable to state-based human rights regimes, while the new opportunities of global information and institutions are insufficiently accessible and distorted by persistent state intervention.

The effect of globalization on state-based human rights violations will depend on the type of state and its history. In newly democratizing countries with weak institutions and elite-controlled economies (Russia, Latin America, and Southeast Asia), the growth of global markets and economic flows tends to destabilize coercive forces but increase crime, police abuse, and corruption. Global mobility and information flows generally stimulate ethnic mobilization, which may promote self-determination in responsive states but more often produces collective abuses in defense of dominant-group hegemony. On the other hand, the same forces have produced slow institutional openings by less fragmented single-party states (like China and Mexico). In much of Africa, globalization has ironically increased power vacuums, by both empowering substate challengers and providing sporadic intervention, which displaces old regimes without consolidating new ones. Some of the most horrifying abuses of all have occurred in the transnationalized, Hobbesian civil wars of Sierra Leone, Angola, and the Congo.

Centre for Globalization:

The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization uses a variety of means to explore globalization and promote the flow of ideas pertinent to our core issues. The activities organized by the YCSG are designed to interconnect in ways that will further the Center’s mission and enable us to achieve our goals.

Activities range from public lectures to international conferences to multidisciplinary roundtable discussions. YCSG connects the academy and policy worlds by bringing scholars and experts from outside the University to interact with faculty and students in workshops, panel discussions and colloquia, and organizes at least one major conference each year to explore an important aspect of globalization. A highly visible role of the Center is to bring key leaders in international affairs to campus to make a major public address.

The Center has initiated a program to bring distinguished visitors to Yale for periods of up to one year to complete a project or collaborate on a body of work. Visitors will represent a range of backgrounds and experiences, from researchers and practitioners to distinguished former government officials.

YCSG has developed and continues to cultivate collaborations with multilateral institutions, international and global organizations, and individuals who through their work in academia or public policy contribute significantly to the globalization debate.

          It is necessary to establish such type of centre in our university also. In the modern generation also computer literacy is very low in our community. It is very sad thing that our students have no interest to learn computer education. Without computer it is not possible to share opinions of other country citizens.

Amnesty International:

Amnesty International is a world-embracing movement working for the protection of human rights. It is independent of all governments and is neutral in its relation to political groups, ideologies and religious dividing lines.

Amnesty  International  was  founded  in 1961 by Peter Benenson, a British lawyer. It  was  originally  his  intention  to  launch an appeal in Britain with the aim of obtaining an amnesty  for  prisoners of conscience all over the world. The committee working  for  this  cause  soon  found that a detailed documentation of this category of prisoners would be needed. Gradually they realized that the work would have to be carried   out on a more permanent   basis;  the  number  of  prisoners  of  conscience  was  enormous  and they were to be found in every part of the world.

Amnesty international organization protecting the human rights through out the world. It gives ranks for protecting human rights to each and every country in the world. In Asia our rank is best when compared to other neighbouring countries.

Role of mass media in protecting Human Rights:

          Now we are living in the modern technological world. It is easy to know any type of things with in seconds through out the world. Audions of televisions and internet users increasing day by day. It is easy to protect human rights with the help of mass media. Mass is called as fourth estate. With the help of mass media it is easy to motivate about human rights each state of the citizens in the world. Our daily news papers focusing on human rights. It is true that government of the each states in the world have  take good  steps to protect human rights because of mass media. It is very important the Poets, Writers and Journalists should take care to protect human rights through their poems, books, novels and articles.

Conclusion:

          Swamy Vivekananda said “We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet”. It is true. It is our Government duty to give such type of education for each and every student in the country. Through education only we can solve all types of problems. Through education it is easy to motivate peoples about moral values and human rights. Education gives knowledge, strength and creativity. By proper using of technology, it is possible to India to become developed country in the world in future. ‘Save human rights and give safe life to every one’ .

 

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Globalization, State and Human Rights

Globalization, State and Human Rights

 

Now we are living in the technological and modern world. India has developed in all the fields. All of have equal rights in India. There are different types of peoples (Hindu, Muslim, Christian) are living in India. But they are called Indian Hindu, Indian Muslim and Indian Christian. Our constitution gives equal rights and duties for all Indians.

Globalization

Globalization, or globalisation is a term describing the increasing interdependence, integration and interaction among people, companies and corporations in disparate locations around the world. This umbrella term refers to a complex medley of economic, trade, social, technological, cultural and political relationships. The term has been used as early as 1944, however Theodore Levitt is usually credited with its first use in an economic context.

Definition of Globalization     

globalization is the worldwide process of homogenizing prices, products, wages, rates of interest and profits. Globalization relies on three forces for development: the role of human migration, international trade, and rapid movements of capital and integration of financial markets.

Aspects of Globalization

Globalization also has a number of different focuses and aspects which contribute in varying amounts to the effect of globalization across the globe:

·        Industrial globalization (alias trans nationalization) – rise and expansion of multinational enterprises

·        Financial globalization – emergence of worldwide financial markets and better access to external financing for corporate, national and subnational borrowers

·        Political globalization – spread of political sphere of interests to the regions and countries outside the neighborhood of political (state and non-state) actors

·        Informational globalization – increase in information flows between geographically remote locations

·        Cultural globalization – growth of cross-cultural contacts

·        Globalism – connection between cultures, nations, and people, it embodies cultural diffusion, the desire to consume and enjoy foreign products and ideas, adopt new technology and practices, and participate in a “world culture”. It is a universal, internationalist impulse that the world is connected.

·        Globalist – someone who is aware of world issues, enjoys new ideas, and considers themselves global citizens with an open mind to both criticize and agree with others.

Positive and Negative Effects of Globalization

            The term “globalization” is used to these collective changes as a process, or else as the cause of turbulent change. The distinct uses include:

·        Economically, socially and ecologically postitive: As an engine of commerce; one which brings an increased standard of living to Third World countries and further wealth to First World countries.

·        Economically, socially, politically, and ecologically negative: As an engine of “forporate imperialism”, one which tramples over human rights in developing societies, claims to bring prosperity, yet oftern simply amounts to plundering and profiteering. Negative effects include cultural assimilation via cultural imperialism, the export of artificail wants, and the destruction or inhibition of authentic local and global community, ecology and cultures.

Because of globalization it is easy to get any type of information with in seconds with the help  televison, internet and telephone, mobiles and fax. Through media the people knowing what is meant by human rights and what is their duties.

Human Rights

          Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent. Human rights are what make us human. When we speak of the right to life, or development, or to dissent and diversity, we are speaking of tolerance. Tolerance will ensure all freedoms. Without it, we can be certain of none.

 

Definition of Human Rights

           Human Rights is defined as “The basic rights and freedoms, to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law”.

            Human rights are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each person. They are universal legal guarantees protecting individuals and groups against actions which interfere with fundamental freedoms and human dignity. Some of the most important characteristics of human rights are the following:

They are internationally guaranteed;
They are legally protected;
They focus on the dignity of the human being;
They protect individuals and groups;
They obligate States and State actors;
They cannot be waived/taken away;
They are equal and interdependent;
They are universal.

Types of Human Rights

There are so many types of Human Rights. Among them the important Human Rights are:

·        Political Rights

·        Cultural Rights

·        Economic Rights

·        Civil Rights

·        Social Rights

Human Rights and Education

          Our former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan said that the development of any nation is depend upon on its educational system and teachers. Teachers are national builders. Through education it is possible to change the world. Through education it is easy to motivate people. Through education only it is possible to learn what are our duties and rights? By establishing Human Rights departments the University Grants Commission has taking good steps to improve social development. Human Rights department conducting national seminars, workshops and conferences about Human Rights to motivate students and people in the society.

            Mahatma Gandhi said ‘all are equal, truth is God and God is truth’. With the help of private organizations Government of India and  State Government of Andhra Pradesh conducting so many programmes about human rights. There is a separate department for human rights at both state and central level. Every year December 10th is celebrated as International Human Rights Day.

Gender and Human Rights   

          Because of science and technology a lot of change has occurred in our daily life. Because of globalization it is possible to get any type of information with in seconds. Males and females are equal. There is no gender difference. Women are participating in all types of competitions and they are also succeeding. Number of females is also working in the law and police departments. There is a separate wing for female protection and welfare both at central and state level. Government gives equal rights to male and female.

          The National Commission for Women was set up as a statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990) of Govt. of India, to review the Constitutional and legal safeguards for women; recommend remedial legislative measures, facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

The issue of the advancement of women’s rights has concerned the United Nations since the Organization’s founding. Yet the alarming global dimensions of female-targeted violence were not explicitly acknowledged by the international community until December 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

In view of the alarming growth in the number of cases of violence against women throughout the world, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1994/45 of 4 March 1994, in which it decided to appoint the Special Reporter on violence against women, including its causes and consequences.

Defining Gender-based Abuse

The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women is the first international human rights instrument to exclusively and explicitly address the issue of violence against women. It affirms that the phenomenon violates, impairs or nullifies women’s human rights and their exercise of fundamental freedoms.

The Declaration provides a definition of gender-based abuse, calling it “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.

The definition is amplified in article 2 of the Declaration, which identifies three areas in which violence commonly takes place:

·         Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs in the family, including battering; sexual abuse of female children in the household; dowry-related violence; marital rape; female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women; non-spousal violence; and violence related to exploitation;

·         Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs within the general community, including rape; sexual abuse; sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere; trafficking in women; and forced prostitution;

·         Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Health and Human Rights

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being…” – World Health Organization.

WHO’s health and human rights work areas

            Health and human rights has been designated as a cross-cutting activity in WHO. Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Law (ETH) within Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments (SDE) is the focal point within the Organization for human rights.

WHO is actively strengthening its role in providing technical, intellectual and political leadership in the field of health and human rights. The main objectives are to:

·         Strengthen WHO’s capacity to integrate a human rights-based approach in its work

·         Support governments to integrate a human rights-based approach in health development

·         Advance the right to health in international law and international development processes

Promoting and protecting health and respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights are inextricably linked:

·         Violations or lack of attention to human rights can have serious health consequences (e.g. harmful traditional practices, slavery, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, violence against women and children).

·         Health policies and programmes can promote or violate human rights in their design or implementation (e.g. freedom from discrimination, individual autonomy, rights to participation, privacy and information).

·         Vulnerability to ill-health can be reduced by taking steps to respect, protect and fulfill human rights (e.g. freedom from discrimination on account of race, sex and gender roles, and rights to health, food and nutrition, education, housing).

Conclusion

          Now we are living in the technological world. Due to globalization we get any type of information with in seconds with the help of television, telephone, mobile, internet and fax. Now both male and female have equal opportunities. The literacy percentage of women is also high. Civil Rights, Political Rights, Economic Rights, Health Rights and Cultural Rights are primary rights for all. Through education it is possible to motivate about human rights among the students. Universities are primary resource centres for development of human right studies.  With the help of seminars, workshops and conferences it is possible to share opinions of eminent persons in the society. Their suggestions are more valuable. Sri Venkateswara University is giving opportunity for students in the field of research in Human rights subject.

 

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