Maharashtra Board Class 9 Political Science Chapter 6 International Problems PDF Download

International Problems

Let's Revise!

Till the last chapter, we studied the sovereign States in the international system, India's foreign policy and India's defence system. We also studied the objectives of the United Nations. In this chapter, we are going to study some important 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.

In order to solve these international problems, all nations need to make joint efforts. In this chapter, we shall therefore study problems related to human rights, environment and terrorism. Even the questions of refugees are now assuming global proportions. Hence we shall consider this issue as well.

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.

In the same vein, human rights are those rights that are necessary for living as a human being and as a constituent of society. The American and the French Revolutions proclaimed Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Justice as Human rights.

The idea that in order to realise these rights, a democratic form of government is essential was strengthened. After that several European nations adopted democratic constitutions and governments. This brought limits on the authority of the State. The main responsibility of the State came to be understood to be the protection of citizens' rights.

Human rights include the important rights to life, food, clothing, shelter, education and health. The State has to see to it that these rights are available to everybody.

Teacher's Note

Human rights mean treating all people fairly and kindly. For example, every child in India has the right to go to school.

Exam Trick

Remember: Human rights = basic needs like food, school, home, and health. Just like you need food and clothes to live, everyone needs these rights.

Points to Remember

Human rights come from natural rights that we have because we are born human.
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Justice are important human rights.
The State must protect the rights of all citizens.
Human rights include right to life, food, shelter, education and health.
Democracy is needed to protect human rights.

Rise Of The Concept Of Human Rights In International Relations

After the United Nations was established, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was prepared. It was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly by a majority vote on 10th December 1948.

Later, in 1966, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Internal Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights (ICESCR). These two covenants are a part of International Law. Member Nations of the United Nations are bound to observe them.

The question of human rights was raised in United Nations General Assembly on several occasions during the Cold War period. Racial segregation in Africa was said to be against human rights and hence it was decided to boycott the regime there. Freedom for colonies and insistence on the democratic system could be cited as examples of the same.

In modern times, problems like struggle against racism, border disputes, terrorism are jeopardizing human rights on a large scale. Apart from this, the concept of human rights has broadened due to several issues of global nature like contagious diseases, the threat to environment, natural disasters, etc. Human rights today also include goals like protection of the environment and sustainable development.

Teacher's Note

The United Nations made rules in 1948 to protect people around the world. These rules help countries ensure everyone gets food, school and safety.

Exam Trick

Remember: UN Declaration of Human Rights came in 1948. That is 70 years before today. The two covenants came in 1966.

Points to Remember

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was made in 1948 by the United Nations.
ICCPR and ICESCR are two important laws made in 1966.
All United Nations member nations must follow these laws.
Human rights problems include racism, terrorism and border disputes.
Environment protection is now part of human rights.

Human Rights And India

In the Indian Constitution, human rights have been given the place of Fundamental Rights. The constitution gives the responsibility of the protection of the weaker sections like women and minorities to the government alongside that of the Fundamental Rights.

In 1993, the Human Rights Protection Act was passed. As per this law, the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commissions were established. The Human Rights Commission is responsible for taking cognizance of the complaints regarding violation of human rights and take appropriate action regarding such violation.

Teacher's Note

India's Constitution protects human rights as Fundamental Rights. For example, all girls in India have the right to get free education in government schools.

Exam Trick

Remember: India made the Human Rights Protection Act in 1993. This created the National Human Rights Commission to help people when their rights are broken.

Points to Remember

India's Constitution has Fundamental Rights which are human rights.
The government protects women and minority groups.
The Human Rights Protection Act came in 1993.
The National Human Rights Commission helps people whose rights are broken.
State Human Rights Commissions also help people in each state.

Secure Environment

In the present times, the concept of Human Rights has become broader and it is increasingly being accepted that a secure environment is an important Human Right. At the international level, the awareness and need of saving the environment was expressed in 1970.

The experts studying the environment believed that due to industrialisation on a large scale and the increasing need for energy has endangered the environment. These activists celebrated the first Earth Day on 22nd April 1970.

Chemical fertilisers and pesticides used in agriculture, sound pollution due to vehicles, radiation from nuclear reactors, oil leakages or leakages of chemical gases make the environment unsafe and create various problems.

As a result of this awareness, the question of environmental safety began to be discussed at the international level. After the wave of globalisation that started in 1990, the interdependence among nations increased and therefore a need for nations to cooperate with each other emerged.

The threat to the environment caused by pollution or by leakage of oil or gas does not remain restricted to one nation. Also, its effects are long term. It becomes necessary for nations to act with each other's consent and cooperation in order to deal with these effects.

The visible effects of the decline of 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, etc. Even if some of the effects are restricted to particular nations, these problems reach global proportions, due to their long term effects, while some problems are inherently of a global nature.

Teacher's Note

A clean and safe environment is a human right. When air and water are polluted, everyone gets sick. This is why all countries must work together to keep our environment clean.

Exam Trick

Remember: Earth Day is on 22nd April. Environment protection became a human right after 1970 when people started talking about pollution.

Points to Remember

A safe environment is now seen as a human right.
Earth Day is celebrated on 22nd April.
Pollution from factories, cars and farms damages the environment.
Environmental problems affect all countries, not just one.
All nations must cooperate to protect the environment.

Stockholm To Paris 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.

In this conference, it was stressed that it is the responsibility of all nations to cooperate to overcome pollution.

The developing nations feel that the developed nations are more responsible for the decline of the environment and they should take the responsibility for stopping the decline. Even today the developing countries take the same position.

Another feature of this conference was that the non-governmental organisations working in the field of environmental protection were also present.

The issue of the protection of the common global wealth was raised. A consensus emerged that it was the responsibility of all the nations to protect these resources.

It was after this conference that the United Nations created the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Many international treaties about environment were signed after this conference. Several rules were made about the protection of environment. Environmental movements started on a large scale at national as well as at the international level. Nongovernmental organisations also assumed a bigger role in the decision making process at international conferences regarding the environment.

Teacher's Note

In 1972, countries met in Stockholm to talk about protecting nature and clean air. This was the first big world meeting about the environment.

Exam Trick

Remember: Stockholm Conference was in 1972. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was created after this conference to help protect nature.

Points to Remember

The Stockholm Conference happened in 1972 to talk about environment problems.
All nations agreed to work together against pollution.
The UNEP was created to protect the environment worldwide.
Non-government organisations helped in this conference.
Many environmental laws were made after this conference.

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