Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

International Organisations & Human Rights

• code 12344
• course 4
• term Semester 2
• type op
• credits 3

Module: Optatividad

Matter: Elective

Main language of instruction: English

Head instructor

Dra. Maria MUT - mariamut@uic.es

Office hours

Appointment by previous e mail to the teacher.

This subject is structured in two blocks: the first focuses on the analysis of international institutions and the second on the study of Human Rights.

The main objective of this course is that the student is able to identify and understand how the international community is organized, distinguish the institutional structures that exist in an increasingly globalized world, where this type of organizations take on a growing role and affect all the territorial levels. Likewise, it is also a main objective that the student knows what Human Rights we have, their conceptualization, historical trajectory and interpretation.

Finally, the subject will incorporate a theoretical framework that will be combined with practical work of cases extracted from reality.

The main objectives are summarized in the following points:

1. Deepen the structure and institutionalization of the international community     

2. Be able to identify and classify the various types of international organizations     

3. Study relevant and concrete examples of international organizations, such as the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the Council of Europe. 

4. Discuss and work on case studies related to the organizations under study     

5. Analyze the background and historical evolution of Human Rights     

6. Understand the concept of Human Rights and the difference with Fundamental Rights     

7. Examine the international and regional regulations on Human Rights and know their legal effects     

8. Solve practical cases, using the regulations studied

• 02 - To acquire the ability to understand, analyse and synthesise
• 03 - To be able to express one's ideas and arguments in an orderly and coherent way both in oral and written form (written and oral techniques)
• 05 - To be able to develop skills for group work
• 06 - To acquire the ability to make decisions
• 07 - To acquire negotiating and mediation skills
• 20 - To have knowledge of the basic aspects of legal argumentation
• 21 - To develop the ability to create and structure regulations
• 24 - To acquire the skills to resolve problems and make decisions using relevant information and by applying correct methods while placing the issue within a legal system context
• 25 - To acquire the skills for legal paperwork processing: composing texts, clarifying a position on a matter, use of forms, etc.
• 26 - To master the techniques and other evidence taking stategies
• 28 - To be able to read and understand bibliography and other legal texts in English

Fulfill the objectives indicated in both parts of the subject

I INTRODUCTION: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

PART 1: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

1.1 Origin and historical development of International Organizations
1.2 Classification of International Organizations

a) For its purposes: General Purpose and Specific Purpose Organizations
b) Due to its composition: Organizations of universal and regional scope
c) For their competences: Cooperation and integration organizations

PART 2: MAIN MANIFESTATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PERSONALITY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

2.1 General Ideas
2.2 Right to conclude international treaties
2.3 Right to establish diplomatic relations
2.4 Right to participate in international dispute settlement procedures
2.5Right to participate in international responsibility relationships
2.6 Privileges and responsibilities

II INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH A UNIVERSAL SCOPE

PART  3: THE SYSTEM OF THE UNITED NATIONS

3.1 Background of the United Nations
3.2 Legal nature of the Charter
3.3 The reform and revision of the Charter

PART  4: THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS

4.1 The principle of the sovereign equality of States
4.2 The principle of good faith
4.3 The principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes
4.4 The principle of the prohibition of the threat or use of armed force

PART  5: THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS

5.1 Original members and admitted members
5.2 Suspension and loss of member status

PART  6: THE ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS

6.1 The General Assembly

6.2 The Security Council
6.3 The International Court of Justice
6.4 The Economic and Social Council
6.5 The Fiduciary Board of Directors
6.6 The Secretary General and the Secretariat

III INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSAL ORGANIZATIONS OF SPECIFIC PURPOSES

PART  7: SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS

7.1 The International Labor Organization (ILO)
7.2 The World Health Organization (WHO or WHO)

7.3 United Nations Organization for Agriculture and Food (FAO)

PART  8: SPECIALIZED ORGANIZATIONS OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COOPERATION

8.1 The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
8.2 The World Bank

PART  9: OTHER UNIVERSAL ORGANIZATIONS OF SPECIFIC PURPOSES

9.1 The World Trade Organization (WTO)

IV INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF REGIONAL SCOPE

PART 10: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EUROPEAN FIELD

10.1 General purpose international organizations: The Council of Europe
10.2 International organizations of preferably military cooperation: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
10.3 International organizations of preferably economic cooperation:

a) Benelux
b) The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
c) The European Free Trade Organization (EFTA)

PART 11: INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN AREA

11.1 International Organizations in America
11.2 International Organizations in Africa
11.3 International Organizations in Asia

V HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL FIELD

ITEMPART 12.1 Categorization and illustration of them

12.2 Differences between Human Rights and Fundamental Rights
12.2 New trends and guarantees of the individual

PART  13: BACKGROUND OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

13.1 Law of England: The Magna Carta of 1215
13.2 The French Revolution and the American Revolution and Human Rights
13.3 The work of the League of Nations
13.4 Human Rights in the interwar period
13.5 Human Rights after World War II

PART  14: THE UNITED NATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

14.1 The San Francisco Conference
14.2 Human Rights in the Charter of the United Nations

PART 15: THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

15.1 Preparation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
15.2 Content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
15.3 The legal value of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

PART  16: SYSTEM OF GUARANTEES AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

16.1 The legal status of the individual
16.2 Active and passive legitimization
16.3 Competent courts

The criteria have had to be modified taking into account the pandemic situation in which we find ourselves. Attendance is not possible, therefore, it will not count as part of the continuous evaluation. It is required to pass the exam. Now, the following will be taken into account:

Final Exam: up to 60%

Individual and group practices: 30%

Final work + presentation: 10%

-The European Court of Human Rights of marginalised individuals and minorities in national context, Dia Anagnostou & Evangelia Psychogiopoulou, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Leiden, Boston, 2010.

-Conflictos y protección de derechos humanos en el orden internacional, Curso de Derechos Humanos de Donostia-San Sebastián, Universidad del País Vasco, 2006.

-El sistema Universal de los Derechos Humanos, Cristina Monereo Atienza y José Luis Monereo Pérex (coord.), Editorial Comares, Granada, 2014.

-Las Organizaciones Internacionales, Manuel Díez de Velasco, Tecnos, 2010.

- PASTOR RIDRUEJO, J.A., Curso de Derecho internacional público y Organizaciones Internacionales, 10ª ed., Tecnos, Madrid, 2006.

- CARACUEL RAYA, M.A., Los cambios de la OTAN tras el fin de la guerra fría, Tecnos, Madrid, 1997.

- FERNÁNDEZ DE CASADEVANTE ROMANI, C., QUEL, F.J., Las Naciones Unidas y el derecho internacional, Ariel, Barcelona, 1997.

- CARRILLO SALCEDO, J.A., Textos Básicos de Naciones Unidas, 2ª ed., Tecnos, Madrid, 1982.

- CASTRO RIAL CANOSA, J.M., FERNÁNDEZ LIESA, C,R., MARIÑO MENÉNDEZ, F.M., Organización Internacional. Naciones Unidas y Organismos Especializados. Textos legales, Universidad Carlos III-BOE, Madrid, 1993.

- DÍEZ DE VELASCO VALLEJO, M., ESCOBAR HERNÁNDEZ, C., TORRES UGENA, N., (Eds.), Código de Organizaciones Internacionales, Aranzadi, Pamplona, 1997.

- JUSTE RUIZ, J., BERMEJO GARCÍA, R., Organizaciones Internacionales Universales del Sistema de las Naciones Unidas. Convenios Constitutivos, Tecnos, Madrid, 1993.

- CANESSA, M.F., La protección internacional de los Derechos Humanos, Tirant Lo Blanch, 2008.

- RAMÓN, C., Conflictos armados y derecho internacional humanitario, Tirant Lo Blanch, 2009.

- OLIVA, D., Los Derechos Humanos ante los desafíos internacionales de la diversidad cultural, Tirant Lo Blanch,2007.

-RESEARCH HANDBOOK ON THE LAW OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZARIONS, Jan Klabbers & Asa Wallendahl, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2011.

NORMATIVA INTERNACIONAL

Convenios de Ginebra del 12 de agosto de 1945 y sus Protocolos Adicionales

Declaración Universal de Derechos Humanos, 1948

Declaración Americana de Derechos y Deberes del Hombre, 1948

Convenio Europeo de Derechos Humanos, 1950