Notes-Class 9-Political Science-Chapter-6-International Problems-Maharashtra Board

International Problems

Maharashtra Board-Class-9-Political Science-Chapter-6

Notes

Topics to be learn :

  • Human rights
  • Secure environment
  • Stockholm to Paris Conference
  • What is Terrorism?
  • The problems of the refugees

Let’s revise !

International Problems :

  • Some problems are not restricted to any one country. They affect many countries and eventually all the countries of the world.
  • These problems that affect the whole world are called international problems.
  • Problems related to human rights, environment, terrorism and refugees are now assuming global proportions.
  • In order to solve these international problems, all nations need to make joint efforts.

Human Rights :

  • The concept of human rights has emerged from the concept of natural rights. Natural rights are those rights that we are endowed with because we are born as human beings.
  • So, human rights are those rights that are necessary for living as a human being and as a constituent of society.
  • Human rights include the important rights to life, food, clothing, shelter, education and health.
  • After the American War of independence (revolution) and the French Revolution, liberty, equality, fraternity and justice were proclaimed as human rights.
  • It was realized that democratic government was essential for the preservation of rights, led to the adoption of democracy by many European Countries.
  • To restrict the authority of the state and uphold the rights, several European nations adopted democratic constitutions and entrusted the responsibility of protecting rights to the state.
  • Currently Justice K. G. Baiakrishnan is the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission.

Rise of the concept of human rights in international relations :

Rise of the concept of human rights in international relations :

  • Prior to the establishment of the United Nations the term rights was used in the context of a nation.
  • However, the Charter of United Nations mentioned preservation of human rights as one of its objectives.
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly by a majority vote on 10th December 1948.
  • Declaration of the Rights of the Child was proclaimed on 20th November, 1959.
  • There are 30 articles in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. There are a few articles about civil rights and economic rights like right to work and equal pay for equal work.
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) were adopted in 1966.
  • The above two covenants are a part of International Law and all member nations are bound to observe them.

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The scope of the Human Rights widened :

The scope of the Human Rights widened :

  • The question of violation of human rights was raised in United Nations General Assembly during the Cold War.
  • The General Assembly decided to boycott South Africa for Apartheid - racial discrimination.
  • The issue of the colonialism and freedom to the colonies were raised as the issues of human rights in the General Assembly.
  • The issues of violation of human rights, the threat to the environment, sustainable development, contagious diseases and natural disasters have broadened the scope of human rights.
  • The United Nations took upon itself the responsibilities of protection of the environments as a matter related to the human rights.

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Human rights and India :

  • Human rights have been included in the Indian Constitution as the Fundamental Rights of the citizens.
  • The responsibility of the protection of the weaker sections, women and minorities has been given to the government.
  • Human Rights Protection Act was enacted in 1993.
  • The constitution has abolished the inhuman practices of untouchability, forced labour and child labour.
  • As per this law, National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commissions were established.
  • Human Rights Commission is responsible for taking cognizance of the complaints regarding violation of human rights and taking appropriate action regarding violation.
  • The constitution and legal provisions for the protection of the human rights are adequate.

Secure Environment :

Human Rights have gained a broader meaning and acceptance. So, the secure environment is an important human right.

It was pointed out by the activists that the following make the environment unsafe :

  • large scale industrialisation;
  • increasing need for energy;
  • chemical fertilisers and pesticides;
  • sound pollution by vehicles;
  • radiation from nuclear reactors;
  • oil leakages or leakages of chemical gases;

These activists celebrated the first Earth Day on 22nd April 1970.

The visible effects of the degradation of the environment :

The visible effects of the degradation of the environment are :

  • extinction of species of plants and animals,
  • decrease in the fertility of soil,
  • water shortage,
  • fluctuation in the proportion of rainfall,
  • global warming,
  •  drying up of rivers and lakes,
  • pollution of rivers and seas,
  • incidence of newer diseases,
  • acid rain,
  • thinning of the ozone layer.

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After the wave of globalisation that started in 1990, the interdependence among nations increased.

Any threat to the environment caused by pollution or by leakage of oil or gas does not remain restricted to one nation.

It becomes necessary for all nations to act together and cooperate to deal with these effects.

Stockhohm to Paris Conference:

Stockhohm Conference :

Stockhohm Conference:

In order to discuss the immediate and long term problems related to the environment and to find solutions on them, a United Nations Conference on human environment was called at Stockholm from 5th to 16th June 1972.

  • It was pointed out that it is the responsibility of all nations to cooperate to overcome pollution.
  • The developing nations pointed out that the developed nations are more responsible for the decline of the environment. They should shoulder the responsibility for stopping the decline.
  • The Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) actively participated. They raised the issue of the protection of the common global wealth.
  • It was agreed that it was the responsibility of all the nations to protect these resources.
  • After this conference, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was created.
  • Several international treaties were signed and rules were laid down for the protection of the environment.

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Rio-de-Janeiro Conference :

  • The Environmental Movements started on a large scale and at national as well as international level.
  • The Non-Governmental Organisations assumed bigger role in decision making process at international conferences.
  • At the Rio-de-Janeiro Conference in 1992, the concept of sustainable development was discussed.
  • Different treaties on bio-diversity, climate change due to greenhouse gases, protection of forests, etc. were signed.

Kyoto Conference :

At the Kyoto Conference in 1997, a fifteen-year protocol on prevention of climatic changes for developed countries was adopted. These were applicable for 15 years.

Paris Conference :

  • A conference on climate change was held in Paris in 2015.
  • It was appealed and was agreed that all nations should make concerted efforts to stop climate change and global warming.
  • The developed countries should help the developing countries to acquire the technology to achieve these goals.

Terrorism :

This is a major problem of current times. Several countries in the world are facing this problem. No nation is capable of countering terrorism entirely on its own. Hence terrorism is considered to be a global problem.

What is Terrorism? :

What is Terrorism?

  • Terrorism is spreading fear and terror in a society by using or threatening to use violence against common people for achieving political goals.
  • It is organised and planned violence.
  • Terrorist conflict is different from traditional war.
  • Traditional war is a conflict between two or more sovereign States.
  • In such wars, the geographical boundaries between nations acquire importance.
  • On the other hand, terrorist groups can cause violence in any part of the world from anywhere in the world.
  • The aim of a terrorist attack is to challenge a regime in a country or refuse to acknowledge the existence of the State.
  • It is imperative that the security mechanisms of different nations should work in a concerted manner to curb terrorism.
  • Terrorism is a major problem which has intensified in different countries, in the last two decades.

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The problems of the refugees :

The problems of the refugees :

Refugees are the people who have to leave their motherland against their wishes or are forced to go to other nations to seek refuge or for security.

The people seek refuge due to : (i) torture or persecution for belonging to a particular race or religion, (ii) war or (iii) natural disaster

Examples of refugees :

  • Jews were tortured in Nazi Germany before the Second World War. Their citizenship and property were confiscated.
  • The people in East Pakistan were forced to take refuge in India due to political and religious persecutions in 1971.
  • The war-like situation in Iraq and Syria, responsible for large number of people leaving their country since 2015.

The refugees face the problems of :

  • where to go?
  • will that nation give shelter?
  • whether to take their families along with them?
  • problems caused by nature elements
  • hunger and sickness and
  • enemy pursuit. Many people loose their lives in the process.

On arrival in the host country, the refugees face problems of :

  • finding work and place to live,
  • adjusting with language and culture of the other nation,
  • hostility of the local people.

The host country faces the problems of :

  • burden on the economy,
  • shortage of essential goods and increase in inflation,
  • increase in crime and the problem of law and order,
  • local people losing jobs and resentment of their own people.

Therefore, many nations are not ready to give shelter to refugees and to resettle them.

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Steps taken to solve the problems of refugees :

  • At the initiative taken by the United Nations some provision were made at the international level in 1951.
  • It was decided that the refugees will not be forcefully sent back to their country against their wishes.
  • Office of the High Commissioner of the United Nations was established to solve their problems.

Solutions to solve the problems of the refugees :

Solutions to solve the problems of the refugees :

  • All nations safeguard and foster human rights and reduce exploitation and violence.
  • Human rights can be effectively implemented if the environment is safeguarded and terrorism is wiped out.
  • All nations cooperate with each other and take concrete action.
  • This will ensure that all people will be able to achieve their own development safely and securely. No group of people will have to become refugees.

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Significant Events :

Year and  Event :

1948 : Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly

1951 : Provisions regarding refugees in the Human Rights.

1959 : Declaration of Rights of Children

1966 : United Nations General Assembly adopted (i) ICCPR (ii) ICESCR

1970 : Celebration of First ‘Earth Day’

1972 : Stockholm Conference on Human Environment

1992 : Rio-de-Janeiro Conference on Environment

1993 : Human Rights Protection Act enacted in India

1997 : Kyoto Conference on Environment

2015 : Paris Conference on Climate Change

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Useful links :

Main Page : - Maharashtra Board Class 9th History & Political Science  - All chapters notes, solutions, videos, test, pdf.

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