The United Nations (UN) has worked systematically to explain the relationship between the rule of law and human rights since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in 1948. The rule of law was not mentioned in the 1945 UN Charter, but human rights were, and the rule of law was for the first time mentioned in the UDHR. Several resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) have created a strong nexus between the two concepts, as discussed in this article. However, there is still no authoritative definition of the rule of law, though some features of the rule of law are respected at the national level. In its progressive expansion of the meaning of the term rule of law, the UN has made a distinction between the rule of law at the national and international levels, and in its Declaration on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels from 2012, the UNGA went further and made clear that the rule of law applies internationally. Despite attempts from the UNGA to contribute to the definition there is no agreed definition of what the rule of law implies at the international level. This article uses the former UN Secretary-General’s definition of the rule of law from 2004 as a point of departure to explain the development of the rule of law at a national and international level. At the international level, the UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice are addressed; both have played a crucial role in developing the rule of law but not enough to fully alter the vision of the State and its sovereignty in international law.

Vad innebär begreppet ”rättsstatens principer” (rule of law)? Och vad avser man med ”mänskliga rättigheter”? Finns det några definitiva svar på dessa frågor? Vidare, hur relaterar begreppen till varandra? I denna artikel, författad av Per Sevastik, klargörs och analyseras dessa och andra sammanhängande frågeställningar samt deras relevans i ljuset av den internationella utvecklingen inom respektive områden.

This article seeks to explain the complicated relationship between human rights and the rule of law in a country that is unable or unwilling to advance the rule of law. Islamic principles and Afghan legal traditions complicates the already complex relationship between the rule of law, human rights and impunity. The rule of law and human rights are two sides of the same principle, the freedom to live in dignity. The rule of law and human rights therefore have an indivisible and intrinsic relationship. The Afghan government’s promotion of impunity, for warlords and others accused of war crimes, hampers the advancement of rule of law and human rights and negatively affects the path of reforms in the area of human rights and rule of law in Afghanistan.

Ingress: I ett upprop som under tisdagen publiceras i 37 dagstidningar uppmanar sinologer, förläggare, journalister, konstnärer m fl Kina att frige förläggaren Gui Minhai. De kinesiska myndigheternas agerande mot den svenske medborgaren strider mot grundläggande rättsprinciper och utgör en allvarlig kränkning av de mänskliga rättigheterna, skriver de 45 undertecknarna.

Introductory paragraph: The time has come to talk about a new world order. The United Nations marked its 70th anniversary last month with the launch of a "new universal agenda for humanity", whose overarching goal is to "transform our world for the better by 2030".

Introductory paragraph: While Asia-Pacific is one of the world's largest regions in terms of population, it has long been known for being among the least developed in terms of institutional mechanisms for protecting human rights.

From Introduction: The Arab Spring and the echo it created throughout the world in 2011 raised a debate on freedom of expression and the role that new Information Communication Technology (ICT) can play in order to enhance democratization. Through social media, grass-root journalism, civil society and engaged individuals, current views for change were disseminated and people mobilized to act against authoritarian ruling. In some countries the mode of method raised voices and was powerful, in other constraints was made to hinder communication through open information orders, and what had started as grass-root movements were dismantled.

This presentation covers Sida’s ambition to cover current world trends with an attempt to strategically update its knowledge and understanding regarding freedom of expression and the role that new communication technology has had on the enhancement of democracy. The flow of information has become instantaneous, inexpensive, it transcends boundaries and empowers people and enhances globalisation. The overarching aim of the assessment is to analyze the external environments in order for Sida to enhance its own internal capabilities.