About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

15 Int'l J. Not-for-Profit L. 5 (2013)
The Ethical Responsibilities of Human Rights, NGOs

handle is hein.journals/ijnpl15 and id is 97 raw text is: International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law / vol. 15, no. 2, December 2013/5 Ethics, Morality, and Aid The Ethical Responsibilities of Human Rights NGOs Elizabeth Griffin' As the power of human rights NGOs (HRNGOs) increases, legitimate questions are being raised about their responsibilities. NGOs are not bound by international law. Nevertheless, HRNGOs have ethical responsibilities that flow from their mission and in turn from international human rights law. Key principles such as respect for human dignity, non-discrimination, and universality translate into specific responsibilities for HRNGOs. These responsibilities are the focus of this article. Development NGOs have examined how to better protect human dignity by applying rights-based approaches. As the HRNGO sector professionalizes, HRNGOs should follow suit and develop an approach based on human rights to human rights work. I. Introduction2 Human rights nongovernmental organizations (HRNGOs) play a key role in protecting and promoting human rights around the world. Recognized as an integral part of domestic, regional, and international political, social, and legal landscapes, HRNGOs have been instrumental in promoting broad acceptance of the idea that every person has inalienable rights. The increased numbers, geographical reach, and power of HRNGOs prompts legitimate questions about the responsibilities of these organizations. The great influence that some international HRNGOs have exerted, for example, in the field of human rights standard-setting has led some practitioners and academics to ask what responsibilities arise for HRNGOs working in this area.3 Others have questioned whether the methodologies used by HRNGOs could be improved to ensure greater respect for people, in particular the survivors of human rights violations.4 As HRNGOs continue to expand their spheres of influence, further examination of their ethical responsibilities is warranted. I Elizabeth Griffin is Professor and Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights, O.P. Jindal Global Law School. Professor Griffin is also Fellow, Human Rights Centre, Essex University. This article is dedicated to the memory of my dear mentor and friend, Professor Kevin Boyle. 2 Some of the research for this article was carried out by the author as part of a project of the now defunct International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) on the Rights and Responsibilities of Human Rights Organisations. The author wishes to thank William O'Neill and Prof. Joe Oloka-Onyango for their comments on previous drafts of the text and Millicent Williams for editing the text. The views expressed here are entirely the author's own. 3 Christine Chinkin & Alan Boyle, The Making of International Law, Chapter 4: NGOs and Treaty Making, (Oxford University Press, 2007): 57-74; Makau Mutua, Standard Setting: Human Rights Critique and Prognosis, Human Rights Quarterly Vol. 29 (2007): 547-630. 4 Barbara Bukovska, Perpetrating Good: The Unintended Consequences of Human Rights Advocacy, PILI Papers, No. 3 (April 2008).

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most