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Ethics and Humanitarian Intervention

Series: Global Ethics Corner
From: Carnegie Council
Length: 00:02:01

The UN Charter states that human rights is the responsibility of international society. It also prohibits forceful interference against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state. Which takes precedence in humanitarian crises, sovereignty or human rights? Read the full description.

Globalethicscorner_logo1_small Created and managed by Carnegie Council Senior Program Director and Senior Fellow William Vocke, Global Ethics Corner is a weekly 2 minute segment devoted to newsworthy ethical issues

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Piece Description

Created and managed by Carnegie Council Senior Program Director and Senior Fellow William Vocke, Global Ethics Corner is a weekly 2 minute segment devoted to newsworthy ethical issues

Transcript

Is it legitimate to intervene in another state's internal affairs?

Do gross violations of human rights justify armed intervention to stop atrocities?

According to the UN Charter, protection of human rights is the responsibility of international society. Hence, humanitarian interventions are foreign military actions which prevent or halt mass murder and other severe violations of human rights.

In contrast, the Charter also prohibits forceful interference against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state. The Charter rests on the principle of sovereignty.

Here the international community faces a legal and moral dilemma. Which takes precedence in humanitarian crises, sovereignty or human rights?

For skeptics, sovereignty is the key to international order, and each state holds the legitimate right to use military force domestically. They argue that hegemonic powe...
Read the full transcript

Additional Credits

William Vocke- Producer, Program Director, Writer and Voice Talent
Deborah Carroll- Production Manager
Julia Kennedy- Content Editor, Producer/Host of Advocates for Ethics in Business
Robert Smithline- Editor
Terence Hurley- Editor
Ina Pira- Media Coordinator

Related Website

www.carnegiecouncil.org