International Law and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Law and Human Rights - Essay Example The idea for the respect of the laws of a society is ingrained into the members of a society with the aid of the education which is given to them. It is a necessity because without respect for the law, a society could fall apart with each member of the society doing exactly as s/he wished. Of course, there is also the threat of punishment associated with breaking the law but if someone is completely sure that they can get away with it, it would be unlikely that they would continue to follow the laws without having incredible self restraint (Barak, 2005). When the same idea is applied to the global situation, we see a society where certain members can play loose and fast with the laws of the collective which can lead others to think that international laws and covenants on human rights are meaningless to begin with (McCarthy, 2006). They may be taken as guidelines or suggestions rather than the dictates of the global government which apparently works without an established arm for the enforcement of its laws. In any civilised society, there is a group of people who are responsible for maintaining the law of the land. While it is easy to enforce the law where jurisdiction is clarified and law officers know what they can and cannot do, international law enforcement becomes more an issue since certain authorities may not be recognized by other sovereign nations (Shaw, 2003). In such tricky matters, it is possible that international force becomes more important than international law (Palmer & Palmer, 2004). There are quite a few places on the planet where the government of the people is accused of acting against the people in violation of human rights. This violation of rights may be limited or ignored altogether as in the case of Japan where women are treated as less than men (Asian Human Rights Commission, 2001), or it may cause the international powers to get together and take real notice of the situation. Violators of human rights can even face the