Group 5.1: Human rights and politics

“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.” By now, nearly every country in the world has signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and consequently committed itself to preserve, protect and defend human rights. But do they put their promises into action? How can politics strengthen the awareness of human rights, protect them and enforce their practical implementation? Are there any forms of government to guarantee compliance with human rights? The participants should consider the areas of tension between human rights and politics. On the one hand, they would critically examine the effects of politics and tell each other about their own experiences. To what extent politics is allowed to infringe human rights? Is it allowed to limit wilfully human rights? In which cases this process has taken place, yet? On the other hand, the participants would discuss what politics can do for the implementation and preservation of human rights – for example which government facilities deal with these tasks or which sanctions can be posed against countries that violate the General Declaration of Human Rights.

The finishing lecture will be held by Julia Scherf