Peter

 Gabriel  A.  Muana  

X  –  Photon    
Social  Science  4  
Concept  Paper  
 
 
Human  rights  are  rights  intrinsic  in  human  beings  of  whatever  nationality,  national  
or   ethnic   region,   color,   place   of   residence   sex,   religion,   language,   or   any   other   status.   All  
human   beings   are   entitled   to   their   human   rights   without   discrimination.   Moreover,   these  
rights   are   expressed   ensured   through   the   forms   of   customary   international   law,   treaties,  
general  principles,  and  other  foundations  of  international  law.  However,  this  is  not  the  case  
in  some  countries  with  staggering  populations  and  low  financial  status.  In  these  countries,  
human   rights   are   not   treated   as   very   significant   or   important   by   the   government.   To  
summarize,   the   implementation   and   facilitation   of   human   rights   is   hampered   in   an  
underdeveloped  country,  as  not  only  does  its  government  have  a  difficult  time  discovering  
the   violations   of   human   rights,   its   government   may   also   feel   the   need   to   set   aside   the  
protection  and  safety  of  human  rights  in  favor  of  the  greater  good  of  the  country.  
 
  The   government   of   a   country   has   a   huge   responsibility   on   its   shoulders.   Not   only  
does   the   government   have   to   think   of   about   the   people,   but   it   also   needs   to   assess   and  
improve  the  long-­‐term  progressiveness  and  economic  prosperity  of  the  nation.  With  all  the  
considerations  the  government  must  give  a  country  as  a  whole—and  with  the  addition  of  
the   never-­‐ending   corruption   found   in   underdeveloped   countries—one   can   see   how   the  
important   issue   of   human   rights   may   be   set   aside   by   the   government   in   the   name   of   the  
greater  good  of  the  country.    
 
  One   form   of   human   rights   abuses   associated   with   highly   dense   countries   is  
coercion—even   violence—in   the   name   of   “family   planning.”   This   is   a   form   of   population  
control  that  is  known  to  have  occurred  in  China  and  India,  but  is  said  to  be  more  common  
in   third   world   countries   than   is   commonly   believed.   For   instance,   health   care   workers   who  
tell   them   that   it   will   “help   them   with   their   milk   supply”   give   Black   South   African   women  
Depo  shots  that  sterilize  them.  Furthermore,  Black  African  women  are  also  not  allowed  to  
apply   for   jobs   until   they   have   a   family   planning   card   showing   that   they   are   under   some  
kind  of  birth  control.  While  the  persons  instigating  these  methods  might  argue  the  fact  that  
they   were   only   doing   those   things   for   the   greater   well-­‐being   the   country,   they   have  
nevertheless  broken  several  fundamental  human  rights  covered  by  international  law.  
 
  It  can  be  seen  in  underdeveloped  countries  that  the  government  has  a  difficult  time  
catching   and   managing   the   crime   that   roams   rampant   in   the   streets.   However,   they   are   not  
completely  blameless,  as  well.  Some  governments  in  underdeveloped  countries  sometimes  
turn   a   blind   eye   to   the   human   rights   abuses   that   happen   in   their   country   because   they  
simply   do   not   have   the   resources   or   the   time   to   handle   every   human   rights   abuse   in   the  
country  lest  they  exhaust  all  of  the  country’s  resources  or  assets—assets  that  can  be  used  
in  more  productive  and  progressive  ways.  Or,  at  least,  that  is  their  reasoning.  
   
   However,   they   might   not   realize   it   but   ignoring   the   human   rights   abuses   has   a  
detrimental   effect   on   the   country,   as   well,   making   poverty,   injustice,   and   impunity   run  
rampant..     For   instance,   with   the   war   on   terror   generated   by   the   terrorist   attacks   in   the  
United   States   on   September   11,   2001,   the   situation   for   human   right   seems   to   have  
deteriorated,   with   not   only   terrorist   committing   human   rights   violations,   but   also  
governments   sacrificing   human   rights   for   security.   Irene   Khan,   the   Secretary   General   of  
Amnesty  International,  said,  “Governments  are  losing  their  moral  compass,  sacrificing  the  
global  values  of  human  rights  in  a  blind  pursuit  of  security.  While  governments  have  been  
obsessed  with  the  threat  of  weapons  of  mass  destruction  in  Iraq,  they  have  allowed  the  real  
weapons  of  mass  destruction  —injustice  and  impunity,  poverty,  discrimination,  racism,  the  
uncontrolled   trade   in   small   arms,   violence   against   women   and   abuse   of   children—to   go  
unaddressed.”  
 
  In  underdeveloped  countries,  the  power  is  mostly  centered  on  a  few  individuals  and  
government   organizations,   which   are   easily   tempted   by   the   promises   of   money,   assistance,  
and   support.   For   instance,   here   in   the   Philippines,   there   are   clinics   where   contraceptives—
paid   for   by   U.S.   taxpayers—are   loaded   to   the   rafters,   but   there   are   no   antibiotics   or   no  
vaccines  to  be  found.  With  corruption  running  rampant  in  the  government  itself,  it  becomes  
even   more   difficult   to   maintain   and   implement   the   human   rights   that   the   Philippines  
agreed  upon  by  the  UN.  If  there  is  difficulty  maintaining  the  integrity  of  human  rights  inside  
the  government,  how  can  they  ever  hope  to  attain  a  more  stable  and  human  rights-­‐oriented  
community  outside  of  it?  
 
  In   fact,   quoted   by   women’s   health   activist   Adrienne   Germain:   “Governments   did   not  
feel  that  reproductive  health  other  than  family  planning  was  worth  investing  in.  Data  about  
women’s   reproductive   health   were   sparse   and   maternal   deaths   were   estimated,   not  
counted,   while   the   morbidity   was   ignored.”   This   proves   that   in   some   countries,   the  
government   is   willing   to   sacrifice   the   protections   that   come   with   human   rights   in   order   for  
their  nation  to  progress  and  leave  behind  their  name  as  a  underdeveloped  state.  
 
  In  conclusion,  not  only  do  governments  in  underdeveloped  countries  have  a  difficult  
time   maintaining   human   rights,   they   also   sometimes   contribute   to   these   abuses   in   the  
name   of   their   country’s   progress.   This   is   not   good   as   this   course   of   action   allows   real  
problems  such  as  poverty,  racism,  and  injustice  run  rampant.  When  a  government  ignores  
human  rights,  its  nation  suffers  for  their  indifference.