IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP RESEARCH (JPSLR )

E-ISSN 2504-883X
P-ISSN 2695 2432
VOL. 10 NO. 6 2024
DOI: 10.56201/jpslr.v10.no6.2024.pg220.254

---

The Politics of Human Rights Non-Governmental Organizations in a Diverse and Changing World

Bimbo OGUNBANJO, PhD

---

Abstract

When people hear the phrase “human rights”, they think of the highest moral precepts and political ideals. And they are right to do so. They have in mind a familiar set of indispensable liberal freedoms, and sometimes more expansive principles of social protection. But they also mean something more. The phrase implies an agenda for improving the world, and bringing about a new one in which the dignity of each individual will enjoy secured international protection. It is a recognizably utopian program: for the political standards it champions and the emotional passion it inspires, this program draws on the image of a place that has not yet been called into being. It promises to penetrate the impregnability of state borders, slowly replacing them with the authority of international law. It prides itself on offering victims the world over the possibility of a better life. It pledges to do so by working in alliance with states, when possible, but naming and shaming them when they violate the most basic norms. Human rights in this sense have come to define the most elevated aspirations of both social movements and political entities – state and interstate. They evoke hope and provoke action. This paper investigates human rights-focused non- governmental organizations (NGOs). Human rights NGOs have made a substantial global contribution to the promotion and defense of international human rights since the 1940s, when the modern age of human rights began. This paper defines the terms "NGO" and "human rights NGO," categorizes human rights NGOs into different conceptual groups, and then lists and examines characteristics that successful, productive human rights NGOs typically have. It also lists a number of codes of ethics and behavior that were established to support the efficacy, accountability, openness, and legitimacy of human rights non-governmental organizations. Numerous NGOs have embraced these rules, which have been put into eff

keywords:

Human Rights, Non-Governmental Organizations, Universal Declaration of Human

---

References:

Abiodun, Klaus Dieter. The Protection of the Right to Education by International Law: Including
a Systematic Analysis of Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and
Cultural Rights. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2021.
Adair, Anthony. “Codes of Conduct are good for NGOs too.” IPA Review (March, 1999): 26–27
(available
at
http://www.ipa.org.au/library/review51-
1%20Codes%20of%20Conduct%20are
%20good%20for%20NGOs%20too.pdf)
(accessed November 20, 2023).
Adebambo, Sharon. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: A Guide to the
Travaux Préparatoires. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2022.
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. June 27, 1981, 21 I.L.M. 58 (1982). http://www
.achpr.org/english/_info/charter_en.html (accessed November 20, 2023).
Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief. “Code of Conduct for NGOs Engaged in
Humanitarian
Action,
Reconstruction,
and
Development
in
Afghanistan”
http://www.acbar.org/downloads/Code%20of%20Conduct_English%20Version.pdf
(accessed November 20, 2023).



Alston, Philip. “The ‘Not-a-Cat’ Syndrome: Can the International Human Rights Regime
Accommodate Non-State Actors?” In Non-State Actors And Human Rights, edited by
Philip Alston. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
American Convention on Human Rights, November 22, 1969, O.A.S.T.S. No. 36. http://www
.hrcr.org/docs/American_Convention/oashr.html (accessed November 20, 2023).
Annan, Kofi. “Without Vital Role of NGOs, World Could Hardly Respond to Myriad Crises, UN
Secretary-General Annan Tells DPI/NGO Conference.” U.N. Doc SG/SM/10085,
NGO/582,
PI/1674
(September
9,
2015)
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/sgsm10085.doc.htm (accessed November 25,
2023).
Anti-Slavery International. “Introduction to Anti-Slavery: Anti-Slavery International Today.”
http://www.antislavery.org/english/what_we_do/antislavery_international_today/antislav
ery_ international_today.aspx (accessed November 25, 2023).
Asekun, Paul. “Citizenship Education in South Africa.” Cambridge Journal of Education 33, no.
1 (2020): 73-83.
Asekun, Paula. “Human Rights Education: A Slogan in Search of a Definition?” In Research
Handbook on International Human Rights Law, edited by Sarah Joseph and Adam McBeth.
UK: Edward Elgar Publishers, 2019.
Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). “ACFID Code of Conduct for Non-
Governmental Development Organisations.” Amended October 5, 2014, http://www.acfid.
asn.au/code-of-conduct/docs/code.pdf (accessed November 20, 2023).
——. “Code of Conduct Guidance Document.” (December, 2018). http://plone.acfid.asn.au/ code-
of-conduct/docs/guidance/12.18_full_doc.pdf (accessed November 28, 2023).
——. “Review of the content of the Code of Conduct.” http://plone.acfid.asn.au/code-of-
conduct/review (accessed November 28, 2023).
Australian Human Rights Centre. “About AHRC.” University of New South Wales, The Faculty
of Law. http://www.ahrcentre.org/ (accessed November 28, 2023).
Bade, Apendra. “Human Rights Education: The Promise of the Third Millennium?” In Human
Rights Education for the Twenty-First Century, edited by George J. Andreopoulos and
Richard Pierre Claude, 142-54. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2020.
Baehr, Peter R. “Mobilization of the Conscience of Mankind: Conditions of Effectiveness of
Human Rights NGOs.” Paper presented at the UNU Public Forum on Human Rights and
NGOs, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan, September 18, 1996. www.gdrc.org/ngo/
lecture14.html (accessed November 20, 2023).
Baker, Peter and Charlie Savage. “In Clinton List, a Veil Is Lifted on Foundation.” New York
Times, December 18, 2018, http://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/19/us/politics/w19clinton.
html (accessed November 24, 2023).
Baker, Peter and Helene Cooper. “Clinton Vetting Includes Look at Mr. Clinton.” New York
Times,
November
17,
2018,
A1.
http://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/17/us/politics/17memo.
html?_r=1&partner=%20rss&emc=rss&page%20wanted=all (accessed November 20,
2023).



Ban, Ki-Moon. “Secretary-General’s Video Message For Historic Paris DPI/NGO Conference
Stresses Duty To Ensure That Human Rights Are Living Reality.” Transcript of video
message to the 70th UN Department of Public Information-NGO Conference, Paris,
France,
UN
Doc.
SG/SM/11774,
NGO/650,
PI/1850,
September
3,
http://www.un.org/News/ Press/docs/2018/sgsm11774.doc.htm (accessed November 20,
2023).
Bernhardt, Rudolf, ed. Encyclopedia of Public International Law. Amsterdam: North-Holland,
Birkner, Gabrielle and Anthony Weiss. “Madoff Arrest Send Shockwaves Through Jewish
Philanthropy.” Forward: The Jewish Daily, December 12, 2018. http://www.forward.com/
articles/14725/ (accessed November 26, 2023).
Blitt, Robert Charles. “Who Will Watch the Watchdogs? Human Rights Nongovernmental
Organization and the Case for Regulation.” Buffalo Human Rights Law Review 10 (2014):
261–398.
Bloem, Renate, Isolda Agazzi, and Philippe Dam. “The Story of Strengthening Civil Society
Engagement with the United Nations.” Paper presented for the Conference of NGOs
(CONGO). http://www.ngocongo.org/files/story_of_congo.doc (accessed November 22,
2023).
Blundell, Arthur G. “Conflict Timber and Liberia’s War.” European Tropical Forest Research
News 43–44: 32 (2015).
Boisson de Chazournes, Laurence and Philippe Sands, eds. International Law, The International
Court of Justice and Nuclear Weapons. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Boutros-Ghali, Boutros. “General Review of Arrangements for Consultations with Non-
governmental Organizations – Report of the Secretary-General.” E/AC.70/1994/5 (May
26, 1994), para. 40.
Buffalo Human Rights Center. “Homepage.” http://wings.buffalo.edu/law/BHRC. Bunn, Isabella
D. “Global Advocacy for Corporate Accountability: Transatlantic Perspectives From The
NGO Community.” American University International Law Review 19 (2014): 1265–1306.
Bustelo, Mara R. “The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women at the
Crossroads.” In The Future of UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring, edited by Philip
Alston and James Crawford, 79–107. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Carrillo, Arturo J. “Bringing International Law Home: The Innovative Role of Human Rights
Clinics in the Transnational Legal Process.” Columbia Human Rights Law Review 35
(2014): 527–587.
Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO). “About Us.” http://www.code-ngo. net
(accessed November 24, 2023).
——. “Covenant on Philippine Development and the Code of Conduct.” (1991). http://www .code-
ngo.net/Covenant.pdf (accessed November 20, 2023).
Centre for Civil Society. “MSc Management of Non-Governmental Organisations.” London
School
of
Economics
and
Political
Science.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CCS/study/msc_
devel_countries.htm
(accessed
November 23, 2023).



Center for Reproductive Rights, The. “Breaking the Silence: The Global Gag Rule’s Impact on
Unsafe
Abortion.”
(2013).
http://reproductiverights.org/sites/default/files/documents/bo_ggr
.pdf
(accessed
November 20, 2023).
Center for Reproductive Rights, The. “Myths and Realities: Debunking USAID’s Analysis of the
Global
Gag
Rule.”
(January
15,
2019).
http://reproductiverights.org/en/document/mythsand-realities-debunking-
usaid%E2%80%99s-analysis-of-the-global-gag-rule (accessed November 22, 2023).
Charles, Atinuke. “Content and Scope of the Right to Education as a Human Right and Obstacles
to its Realization.” In Human Rights in Education, Science and Culture: Legal
Developments and Challenges, edited by Yvonne Donders and Vladimir Volodin, 183-230.
Paris: UNESCO Publishing, and UK: Ashgate Publishing, 2017.
Charnovitz, Steve. “Nongovernmental Org

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back