Human rights and global governance intertwine in ways that show the evolving world complexities. The 21st century presents an important time in history where corporate influence and international organizations’ influence shape human rights norms. There are intricate challenges arising because of this development. From history, there is the League of Nations. There is also the United Nations (Forsythe, 2018). All other organizations will fall within the timeline. They have been on a transformative journal towards making human rights universal. Transcoding of barriers and the challenging of conventional state-centric governance remains a key achievement that the public can see. Today, a global society shines. The activity of the global civil society encompassing NGOs and social movements embroiled in activism is a true testament. Many people, entities, and organizations are demanding accountability beyond national boundaries.
Some of the insights from the readings are as follows. There is a call to bridge the governance gap. Collaborative efforts will help if states, international organizations, civil society, and corporations are in it together. Adequate extraterritorial jurisdiction and home state responsibility mechanisms will come in handy. An emphasis on not just the judicial but also the educational function of human rights litigation will arise and continue to be a reason for continued efforts in this area (Schrempf-Stirling & Wettstein, 2017). If there is enough focus and commitment, then there will be changes to influence corporate behavior. The integration of human rights considerations with global governance networks is inevitable. However, the claim will not become valid by itself. The stakeholders noted in this review have to remain steadfast.
Furthermore, the intricate relationship between human rights and global governance must be evaluated according to the rise of civil society, the human rights regime, and the business and human rights predicament. These issues were touched on in the previous paragraphs. In particular, Non-governmental organizations and social movements push for accountability using legal channels like human rights litigation. According to Schrempf-Stirling and Wettstein (2017), litigation prompts corporations to revise policies and conduct despite limited judicial victories. Therefore, the verdict is not the only win. The behavior change that shapes business practices is also a notable win. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the cornerstone that the International Criminal Court and other bodies use to address issues in the transnational arena (Forsythe, 2018). As globalization continues, there is a predicament where international corporations can deliberately violate human rights or act in ways that lead to violations. They do these acts because they operate in an arena where their home state may lack the powers or willingness to pursue the corporation’s behavior globally.
Having explored and articulated the three issues of the intersection of human rights and global governance, one then arrives at the following approaches. The first one is to strengthen the enforcement mechanism. It will involve robust frameworks for monitoring, reporting, and dealing with violations. Secondly, civil society should be leveraged. Partnerships and the use of social movements amplify the reach and impact of the activities of human rights initiatives. Third, the participants must address corporate accountability. It is the best way to bring up home-state responsibility for corporations.
In closing remarks, global governance is effective, but the indications of firms escaping the home state litigation confirm there is a need for more action. Global governance can improve if the activities and conditions outlined above are implemented. The critical issue is to ensure that civil society, enforcement mechanisms, and accountability systems work together rather than separately.
References
Forsythe, D. P. (2018). Human rights. In T. G. Weiss, and R. Wilkinson, (Eds), International organization and global governance (pp. 511–522) Taylor & Francis Group
Schrempf-Stirling, J., & Wettstein, F. (2017). Beyond guilty verdicts: Human rights litigation and its impact on corporations’ human rights policies. Journal of Business Ethics, 145, 545-562.
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