Biomedical subjects

Keith Suter

Publications and source records attributed to Keith Suter.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Progress in the international protection of human rights.

Great progress has been made in the international protection of human rights since 10 December 1948 (when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Amidst the doom and gloom of the media's reporting of current affairs, it is easy to overlook this progress. This article provides a definition of 'human rights' and examines early human rights campaigns. It then considers the areas of progress: human rights are now part of the international political vocabulary, there is a recognition that respect for human rights can assist a country's economic and social development, there has been a growth of human rights treaties and techniques and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) see protecting human rights as a major activity. State sovereignty has been eroded as national governments are being held accountable to the international community for their human rights policies. A new challenge is to ensure respect for human rights by non-state entities, such as transnational corporations. The growing culture of international protection of human rights is here to stay. This is not a reason for complacency, but it is a sign of hope.

History, 20th Century↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Globalization: a long-term view.

The process of globalization is now the most important development in world affairs. It is the end of the world order dominated by nation states (or countries) and the beginning of an era in which national governments have to share their power with other entities, most notably transnational corporations (TNCs), inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The process has to be viewed in its long-term historical evolution. Unfortunately, the process was seen as a technical international law issue by most people so there was a lack of attention to ensuring that the process worked for the benefit of all of humanity. The current (belated) controversy, such as the 1999 Battle of Seattle, could be a window of opportunity for NGOs to encourage a more informed public debate on how to create proposals for a better world.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The successes and limitations of international law and the International Court of Justice.

The first two sections of this article deal with the irony that international law has severe limitations, yet it also has a good record for compliance. The third section introduces the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the fourth section deals specifically with the limitations of the ICJ. The article concludes with some ideas for action. Its main point is that international law is often a neglected topic, even by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). International law needs to be brought in from the cold, and there should be more support from the NGO community for the ICJ.

Global Health↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The failure of international action against terrorism.

Progress on the so-called 'War on Terrorism' is slow. There is no agreed definition of terrorism and no consistent government policy in respect of it. Consideration of terrorism ignores the role of some governments in what could be regarded as terrorist activity, often with the connivance of others for reasons of political expediency. The special case of suicide terrorism is discussed in detail. It is concluded that the world is now exposed to a new form of warfare, and that even with new military thinking this could continue for perhaps decades to come.

Humans↗