Forests account for a little over one-third (38%) of habitable land area. This is around one-quarter (26%) of total (both habitable and uninhabitable) land area which range from wild land forests to urban forests. These diverse ecosystems provide a variety of habitats for wildlife; help to cleanse the air and water; supply timber, fuelwood, and other harvested products; serve as places for recreation; help to mitigate the effects of global climate change; and provide other essential goods and environmental services. Forests are vulnerable to conversion to other land uses. An increasing number of…
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THE CONCEPT OF ARMED CONFLICT: THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS AND THE 1998 ROME STATUTE
The two 1977 Additional Protocols contain updates on the substantive law and the first comprehensive regulation of the conduct of hostilities in international armed conflict. While Protocol I extended the range of international armed conflicts to which it applies by including ‘armed conflicts in which peoples are fighting against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes in the exercise of their right to self-determination’. Protocol II on non-international armed conflicts introduced stringent requirements for the applicability of its rules and a minimum threshold below which it should not…
Read MoreDRONE WARFARE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
Under the United Nations Charter, states agree to “settle their international disputes in a peaceful manner” and “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” This is generally viewed as a blanket prohibition on the use of force by one state inside the borders of another sovereign state. Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter outlines just two exceptions to this prohibition. First, if the Security Council identifies “any threat to the peace, breach of the…
Read MoreDIGITAL AUTHORITARIANISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Digital authoritarianism is “the use of digital information technology by authoritarian regimes to surveil, repress, and manipulate domestic and foreign populations”. Essentially it refers to the use of digital and technological means to increase control and limit the freedom and rights of citizens. For example, digital authoritarianism entails actions such as; limiting internet freedom, internet access and free speech online, collecting personal data for illegitimate purposes, surveillance and tracking of online activities, especially those of regime critics. We can sums up digital authoritarianism in six different techniques: surveillance, censorship, social…
Read MoreCLIMATE DISPLACEMENT: GAPS IN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL ISLANDS/ARCHIPELAGO
Despite the existence of numerous international instruments addressing forced migration, internal displacement and climate change, international law does not offer ad hoc protection to people affected by climate displacement. The unprecedented nature of the challenges posed by sinking islands is one of the causes of this legal vacuum. Nonetheless, international law will have to react and the ways in which this could happen vary substantially. One possible solution could consist in adapting the existing legal frame work to the peculiarities of climate-induced displacement. The specific needs of climate-displaced people could…
Read MoreDOHA DECLARATION ON TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPS) AND INDIA: AN OVERVIEW
The post 2005 and the impact of adopting stronger patent regime in the context of India generated debate not only within India but also outside, since India is one of the larger drugs/medicines manufacturing country in the world which ranks higher position in terms of production and volume. India’s export reaches a number of developing and least developed countries which show the dependency of the other countries on India. India’s pharmaceutical industry is also making footprints in the developed countries as well. India’s transition towards the product patents came gradually.…
Read MoreDOHA DECLARATION : A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
Though the Doha Declaration was initially received very well, anxiety again was widespread as about the interpretation of Paragraph 6 of the Declaration specifying when countries can import drugs produced elsewhere under compulsory Licensing(CL). A decision regarding the same was announced in 2003 and was adopted in the form of waiver of Article 31 (f) (that the compulsory Licensing(CL) would be predominantly for the supply of domestic market) in December 2005. As per this waiver, a country could issue a compulsory license on the basis of public health need either…
Read MoreHUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS : OVERVIEW OF PROBLEMS, COMPLEXITIES AND CHALLENGES
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Read MoreUNITED NATIONS 75TH ANNIVERSARY: CRITICAL ANALYSIS
“The new millennium presents the most appropriate time to review the history of United Nations(UN) institution, its successes and failures, and expectations for its future.” Opinions may differ about the successes and failure of the United Nations as an instrument for world peace and security. But everyone will agree that it has played a crucial role in the economic and social advancement of the people. United Nation’s efforts in the early Cold War era concentrated on the relationships between nations and the issues of war and peace. The UN has…
Read MoreDEVELOPMENT OF PANDEMIC HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET & NEEDS TO IMPROVE PANDEMIC RESPONSE
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Read MoreGLOBAL COMPACT FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES FROM PANDEMIC
In order to combat with infectious diseases, it is essential a new strategy based on the creation of a four-Point International compact for Infectious Diseases. The first global compact for Infectious Diseases is required to establish, maintain and monitor international standards for surveillance and reporting of data and knowledge of infectious diseases using advanced information technology to ensure timeliness, interoperability and security, including but not limited to: –Epidemiological data, –Information about new and ongoing clinical trials –Data regarding new compounds and targets –Standardized material transfer agreements –Services and skills The…
Read MoreCITIZENSHIP CONCERNS WITH NATIONAL IDS
National IDs are offered to those who are citizens of a given state. Even the more limited forms of biometric ID such as enhanced driver’s licenses contain or connect with citizenship data. National citizenship is undoubtedly prized by some, but what is meant by that phrase varies from place to place and is also undergoing historic transformations. Citizenship means of warding off the vagaries of arbitrary rule and of holding governments accountable appears to have such capacities attenuated. Indeed, new border ID practices seem to many to foster a sense…
Read MoreIMPACT OF BIG DATA ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The data relating to our own actions and the data generated and reported on by “things”, are also increasingly shared and/or exploited in aggregate form, as so-called Big Data. In this new environment, we are generating extremely detailed personalized or quasi personalized data trails. We are hardly aware about it. These data can be used to map social networks. The spiders’ webs of contacts linked to further contacts. Combined big data and profile can show details of every man and woman’s life, activities, health, beliefs with a high degree of…
Read MoreELECTION WIN AND TERROR ATTACKS
Nowadays to damage and threaten democracies, the terrorism is become a biggest challenge to the world. It’s damage the legitimacy of the state. By analysing the electoral mandates, we can get a better understanding of how citizens reward or punish governments in the aftermath of terrorist attacks. Along with better understanding of how terrorist’s actions do corrosive effects on the legitimacy of democratic systems. Does terrorism turn voters against governments, or do citizens “rally around the flag”? Understanding the relationship between terrorist attacks and electoral behaviour is key to find…
Read MorePOLICE COMPLAINT AUTHORITY: ACCOUNTABILITY AND REVIEW
For many years there has been concern about lack of independence in the system of investigating complaints against police officers. The police hold a unique position in society with powers to interfere in the lives of the public and responsibilities to act independently to uphold the law.Inevitably at times this places them in positions of dispute and conflict and will lead to complaints.If citizens are to have confidence in the police service as a whole they must feel that when they complain about individual instances of police misconduct. Their allegations…
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