Proceedings of the 45th International Academic Conference, London

RULE OF LAW: A TOOL FOR CURBING THE MENACE OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

ASAD KHAN

Abstract:

The edifice of rule of law is based on the foundation of supremacy of law whereby not only the society but also the State is held subject to it. Governing the inter-relation between the citizens and the State, it seeks to further principles of fairness, accountability, transparency and equality. In a contemporary world filled with new and sophisticated kinds of conflicts, the relevance of rule of law has only become more prominent. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) empowered by the success of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) seeks to establish a world free from the vices of hunger, poverty, violence & arbitrariness and promote due regard for justice, security, health, education and environment protection initiatives among others. The thread of rule of law permeates almost all the goals envisioned by the world leaders adopting the Agenda 2030; however, realizing the ever-increasing significance and need of rule of law, an effort has been made to give increased recognition to it by expressly mentioning it in Goal 16 of the SDGs. The menace of human rights violation has continued to exist in subdued forms since time immemorial. But in the present-day world, impregnated with democratic ideologies and marked with increased awareness, we are witnessing an accentuated call from the Global Citizens for making a concerted effort at reinstating the basic rights fundamental to human existence. Such violations can be attributed not only to the anarchist and anti-social forces but also to certain States promoting proxy wars and arms race by hiding under the veil of civility. Hence, there persists an impelling exigency to ensure that the principles of rule of law are upheld if such crisis of human rights violations is to be solved for they are not only intricately linked but also mutually reinforcing. This paper thus endeavours to deal with the increasing initiatives at the World forum to develop a cooperative, just and rightful world. It further aims to deal at length with the notion of human rights, its growing significance and highlight the gross violations being witnessed. Besides these, it seeks to answer pertinent questions like: ¥ How far have the principles of rule of law been recognised by the Agenda 2030? ¥ What is the correlation between rule of law and human rights? ¥ What are the particular areas that need to be focussed upon for protection of human rights? ¥ What steps have already been taken and are proposed to be taken by the different nations?

Keywords: Human Rights, SDGs, Global Citizens, Proxy Wars.

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2019.045.022

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