Responsibility to Protect
Responsibility to Protect and Human Right
Responsibility to Protect (R2P) or is a United Nation’s obligation to prevent humanitarian crises such as genocide, humanity crimes and war crimes. R2P was approved at the 2005 World Summit and it has principles which are related with protecting the citizens from violation of human rights and other crimes which may bring adverse effects to their lives (Evans, 66). In addition, the United Nations complies with the international law which governs the human right and security. Writers who offer law assignment help services at Edudorm essay writing service notes that in meeting the objective, RSP applies government and intergovernmental measures such as economic sanctions, mediation and other important measures which help in preventing crime. Responsibility to Protect has three pillars which are expressed in ‘2005 World Summit Outcome Document’ (Evans, 66). The pillars are the responsibility to protect the state from crisis, providing international assistance toward preventing crime and responding to the crisis in a timely manner.
Background of Responsibility to Protect
The need for humanitarian intervention was developed in 1990s after the tragedy between Rwanda and Balkanas. There was a debate on who was responsible between international community and States in responding to humanitarian issues. Kofi Annan, who was the Secretary-General, challenged the Security Council in his report for the failure to respond to the Rwanda tragedy and to protect the violation of human right (Evans, 66). This led to the development of Responsibility to Protect in 2001 by Canadian Government. The Kofi Anann’s challenge toward the Member State led to the development of ‘responsibility to protect’ in the International Commission report. The latter was based on the notion that the State not only had the power to control the State affairs but also the responsibility to protect the people (Evans, 66).
Responsibility to Protect as an Effective Tool
R2P play an important role and acts as an effective tool in preventing humanitarian crisis. This is because, Responsibility to Protect is created with elements of legal structures and it holds a normative power. It is important to note that Responsibility to Protect concepts are creates by United Nations and this indicates that it acts as a powerful incentive where all members can take action toward the crisis (Bellamy, 30). Experts who offer law essay help at Edudorm essay writing service indicates that in addition, R2P acts as a ‘collective understating’ where all members become committed in shaping the behaviors through creating a collective legitimization of State policy. Following that R2P is also integrated in the international politics, it acts as a tool for developing ‘appropriateness standards’ and since it is internalized, it will have a high enabling effects and legitimize behaviors (Bellamy, 38). Responsibility to Protect concentrates on protecting the nations from crisis through proactive and reactive measures in international community. The important point which makes R2P an effective tool is that it is responsible to prevent the crisis, it is responsible to react to the crisis if it happens and finally it is responsible to rebuild and place the nations back to the position they were. The principles entail the entire important role which R2P play in humanitarian intervention (Bellamy, 43). Responsibility to Protect has brought significant change where citizens’ rights are not only valued by the State but also by the international community. Sovereignty in R2P is embraced by both the State and the international community (Bellamy, 44).
Ideology of Responsibility to Protect
Responsibility to Protect has a significant ideology of protecting human rights and this clearly shows the adaptive nature in responding proactively to the 21st century warfare (Haas, 28). Responsibility to Protect doctrine clearly represents their role as well as the ‘constructive step’ in fighting for human rights. Its principles are based on the idea that the international community values the rights of people and so it will eliminate the violations and ensure that every person enjoys the right and is not threatened by tragedies. The issue of protecting human rights is complicated in that the government has limited power in protecting its citizens. For many years, people have suffered from crime, slavery and torture (Haas, 34). According to Haas, theories such as Contract theory, Natural theory, Social Democratic theory and other asserts that there should be respect for human rights and individuals should enjoy the rights without restrictions. Other theories states that minorities should be respected in economic, social and political areas. In addition, individual should be legally provided with rights and there should be equal opportunities (Haas, 34). Tutors who offer law dissertation writing help at Edudorm essay writing service acknowledges that in this case, it is important to assert that Responsibility to Protect is an effective tool in protecting the human rights in that, using the ‘enforcement action’ in responding to the matter, it means that the international community will use the international law and UN collective security. Thus, R2P as a tool to fight warfare complies with the existing law as well as the principle of sovereignty (Haas, 38).
America Policymakers Contribution
Power asserts that America policymakers have failed to prevent mass atrocities in 20th century. She argues that America has revealed an ineffective response despite the fact that it has military and financial power in fighting with crisis (Power, 5). America has faced unspeakable atrocities and it is worth to say that the country has played part in assisting the attackers. Looking back to the Cambodia, Iraq and other genocides, America has failed to offer effective response as result of self-interest and lack of will. It is undeniable reality that millions of people have survived from insurgencies and world crises. As Power asserts that America failed to provide proactive measured toward crises, it is an indication that many States have failed to protect its people as a result of lack of preparedness and unwillingness (Power, 8). However, Responsibility to Protect acts as an effective tool by holding the notion ‘right to intervene’. In this case, the international community has implemented enforceable standards in fighting the crisis and in building foreseeable future. Other important point to note is that Responsibility to Protect acts as an effective tool through establishing procedures and rules which will be used in considering when and how to fight. In addition, it included the military intervention and provided principles on when and how the military will intervene in order to minimize the cost and damage (Power, 15).
Collaborative Actions in Responsibility to Protect
The Responsibility to Protect involves collaborative actions from UN with a major purpose of maintaining peace and security. In this case, sovereignty serves two purposes of controlling and responsibility. In international practice, sovereignty ensures that the citizens are protected from warfare nationally, all citizens internationally are protected from warfare and all agents’ states are accountable in providing security and peace (Bellamy, 26). Thus, Responsibility to Protect play a significant role of ensuring that human rights and human security are maximized in both national and international level. The important point with R2P is that it is developing national culture where all states are accountable to comply with international humanitarian law. In addition, it is developing the human right law where all states are valuing the universal justice as well as standards of behaviors. Authors who offer legal case study help at Edudorm essay writing service points that the key thing which governs the Responsibility to Protect principles is protecting the human rights and practice universal jurisdiction (Bellamy, 28). Other important point is that R2P principals are not only tied with human right but also human security. Thus, international community concentrates on territorial security against internal and external crisis.
Works Cited
Haas Michael. International Human Rights: A Comprehensive Introduction. Routledge, 2013
Power, Samantha. A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. New York: Basic Books, 2013. Internet resource.
Evans, Gareth J. The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution Press, 2008. Internet resource.
Bellamy, Alex J. Responsibility to Protect: The Global Effort to End Mass Atrocities. Cambridge: Polity, 2009. Print.
