Human Abuses Research Articles

The Case for Arts in Reconciliation and Peacebuilding in Africa

In the aftermath of a violent conflict, especially where there have been mass atrocities, violations of the rule of law and human rights abuses, the achievement of reconciliation and peacebuilding remains an immensely difficult challenge. Recently, arts-based approaches to reconciliation and peacebuilding have been supported as an emerging area of research and practice. It is increasingly being seen as a central facet of peace-building and transitional justice. Despite this, arts-based approaches to peacebuilding as an area of study and practice remain under-researched. There remains a gap in understanding the impact community-devised arts projects can have on peace formation amongst diverse actors. This paper fills this gap by analysing the academic evidence to determine how arts can positively promote peacebuilding, healing, reconciliation, and social transformation in Africa. The paper highlights the role that arts and cultural programmes play as part of a spectrum of interventions linking culture, security, and development to sustainable peace. The findings show how arts can be utilised as a powerful means of communication. It suggests programmes that could serve as measures when locally led with an understanding founded in local cultural traditions. The research draws caution against the ability of arts to transform conflict-ridden areas where there is propaganda and underlying agendas. This paper identifies possible future agendas of research and practice that could create evidence based on the role that arts play in peacebuilding and policies to ensure sustainable peace and reconciliation.

Vains of Ink and Blood: The Cost of Truth for Fearless Women

Abstract: In a world where information holds the power to change reality, mass media and journalists play a crucial role in uncovering the truth and upending the power system. Among them, women journalists stand out not only for their journalistic prowess but also for their courage in the face of challenging circumstances. Women journalists bring diverse perspectives to the newsroom, which ensures more comprehensive coverage of a news story that helps highlight issues that are often overlooked or underrepresented such as gender-based violence, human rights abuses, and social inequalities. Despite their significant contributions they have to face gender discrimination in the workplace, unequal pay, limited opportunities, and even have to sacrifice their life to reveal the truth. The primary objective of this research paper is to examine the tragic incidents such as murder or harassment of women journalists and discuss the case study. Based on existing secondary data a qualitative analysis will be conducted on this paper. The findings of this exploratory study will highlight the critical role journalists play in exposing corruption, violence or injustice. In order to maintain press freedom and protect individuals who challenge power systems, this study will shed light on the need for their security as well as the protection of journalists, especially women.

Unsettling trend: The alarming rise of human abuse of veterinary drugs and its consequences.

Veterinary practitioners often prescribe many controlled drugs to animals that may include sedatives, tranquilizers, and painkillers. Unfortunately, many of these drugs are drugs that can be abused by humans, especially among the pet owners. Adequate measures are required to prevent or detect the misuse of veterinary drugs. In this article, the phenomenon of the rising misuse of veterinary medications by humans and their potential health hazards which can accompany the unsettling trends in society has been highlighted. This article aims to shed light on the extent of issues, exploring reasons behind human abuse and its consequences.

Measuring absence: Narrative obstacles to counting contemporary enforced disappearances in Latin America

Statistics hold the potential to lend political urgency to otherwise seemingly isolated human rights abuses. Yet, despite the persistence of the problem, statistics on enforced disappearances in contemporary non-civil war Latin American democracies are rare. This article examines the available statistics found in the annual human rights reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the US State Department and assesses the narratives that accompany them. The article argues that the reports’ narrative frames present three key obstacles to the statistical visibility of enforced disappearances in contemporary Latin America that pertain to the definition of problem, whose information is included (voice), and the narrative’s clarity and consistency. These obstacles affect case counts and, consequently, the political urgency attributed to the need for accountability and policy change.

Intranasal Human Abuse Potential of PF614: A Novel ‘Next Generation’ Trypsin Activated Abuse Protected (TAAP) Opioid

Intranasal Human Abuse Potential of PF614: A Novel ‘Next Generation’ Trypsin Activated Abuse Protected (TAAP) Opioid

Striving for Peace: Addressing Human Rights Challenges in UN Peacekeeping Operations

United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations have been pivotal in global efforts to stabilize conflict zones and mitigate violence for over seven decades. Utilizing soldiers, police personnel, and civilian peacekeepers from diverse backgrounds, these missions aim to implement multidimensional mandates while upholding international legitimacy. Beyond traditional roles of maintaining peace and stability, modern peacekeeping endeavours encompass a spectrum of responsibilities, including civilian protection, demobilization, and human rights enforcement, thereby fostering the transition from conflict to peace. However, amidst these noble goals, the UN has faced persistent criticism regarding human rights violations and sexual abuse by peacekeepers. This paper delves into the UN’s efforts to address legal and policy concerns, ensuring human rights protection and restoring the integrity of peacekeeping. It examines normative frameworks guiding peacekeeping missions and the evolving role of human rights therein. Despite advancements, challenges persist, including ambiguous mandates, political discord, and accountability deficits. Ambiguities in\ conceptual frameworks further complicate operationalization, necessitating clarity and coherence in mandates and implementation.Recommendations for improvement include prioritizing civilian protection and human rights, fostering political consensus, and addressing discrepancies in resource allocation. Additionally, measures to ensure accountability, including penalties for troop-contributing countries and re-evaluation of peacekeepers’ immunity, are vital. In conclusion, while UN peacekeeping remains indispensable in global peace efforts, addressing human rights violations and enhancing accountability are imperative to uphold its integrity and effectiveness.

Coalition Governments and the Quest for Accountability in Kenya

Abstract The role of coalition governments in promoting accountability has gained traction among scholars recently, especially in Africa. Whilst coalition governments are formed for different reasons – office-seeking and policy-oriented motives, these motives often influence how the coalition governments propagate and inculcate the principles of good governance while in government. In Kenya, three coalition governments emerged between 2002–2017. The emergence of these three coalition governments followed a prolonged struggle on the part of the citizens both within and outside the country with the goal of restoring good governance. The central argument of this paper is that, whilst coalition governments initiated a raft of reforms – institutional, legal and policy aimed at promoting accountability in government, very little was achieved to this end. Accountability challenges, including corruption, human rights abuses, elite impunity and state capture, remained endemic in government institutions. In some cases, service provision deteriorated. Given this scenario, this paper argues that there is a need to go beyond enacting good laws and policies. The focus should be on implementation and enforcement. In the long run, this will guarantee sustainable accountability in government institutions. Secondly, a constituency of like-minded citizens should continue agitating for accountability as part of the broader national interest and holding coalition governments accountable.

Self-Reported Physical Activity and Mental Health Among Asylum Seekers in a Refugee Camp.

Global forced displacement has been rising steeply since 2015 as a result of wars and human rights abuses. Forcibly displaced people are often exposed to physical and mental strain, which can cause traumatic experiences and poor mental health. Physical activity has been linked with better mental health, although such evidence is scarce among those populations. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships of self-reported physical activity and fitness with mental health indices among people residing in a refugee camp in Greece as asylum seekers. Participants were 151 individuals (76 women, 75 men; mean age 28.90y) displaced from their homes for an average of 32.03months. Among them, 67% were from Afghanistan and countries from southwest Asia, and 33% from sub-Saharan African countries. Participants completed self-report measures assessing physical activity, fitness, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and well-being. High prevalence of mental health disorder symptoms and poor well-being were identified, with women and Asians showing poorer mental health. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety were related to perceived fitness, but not to self-reported physical activity. Regression analysis showed that perceived fitness (β: 0.34; 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.52) and low-intensity physical activity (β: 0.24; 95% CI, 0.001 to 0.009) significantly positively predicted well-being, showing small to medium effect. The findings provide useful insights regarding the link between physical activity and well-being; nevertheless, further research examining objectively measured physical activity is warranted to complement these data and further explore the associations between physical activity and mental health.

THE HALF MOTHER: AN INQUIRY INTO THE POETICS OF RESISTANCE LITERATURE

“The Half Mother: An Inquiry into the Poetics of Resistance Literature” investigates the dynamic interplay between literary representation and political resistance in the context of the Kashmir conflict. This paper delves into how Shahnaz Bashir's novel, The Half Mother, exemplifies the genre of resistance literature by exploring the intersection of personal and collective trauma amidst a protracted conflict. The Kashmir Valley, historically a cradle of poetic and artistic expression, has faced profound devastation since the late 1980s due to a surge in violence and insurgency. This period, marked by intense militarization and human rights abuses, has given rise to a distinct body of English-language literature that seeks to authentically portray the lived experiences of its people.The study situates The Half Mother within the broader framework of resistance literature, drawing on Ghassan Kanafani's theoretical construct of resistance as both a cultural and political act. This study demonstrates how these literary efforts transcend mere chronicles of victimhood to engage in a profound examination of human resilience and the quest for self-determination. Bashir’s novel thus emerges as a pivotal text that not only contributes to the international literary discourse but also amplifies the voices of a marginalized and silenced population. The Half Mother encapsulates the transformation of individual suffering into a collective resistance, shedding light on the intrinsic link between literary creation and political struggle, and offering a poignant commentary on the enduring human spirit amidst adversity.

Police Brutality and the Endsars Saga: The Implication of Government’s Effort on Human Right Protection in Nigeria

The EndSARS protests in Nigeria brought to the forefront issues of police brutality and human rights abuses, prompting calls for government action. This study aimed to assess the level of government commitment in addressing human rights abuses, particularly police brutality, post-EndSARS. The main objective was to ascertain the level of government commitment in addressing human rights abuses, with specific objectives including assessing the effect of government policies post-EndSARS, examining the correlation between law-enforcement changes and institutional reforms, analyzing government commitments post-EndSARS in relation to substantive reforms, and investigating the link between government actions on police brutality and citizen perceptions of responsiveness. The study utilized a survey method, incorporating both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data were collected through questionnaires utilizing a 4-point Likert scale, with a sample size of 381 respondents in Owerri, Imo state. Descriptive statistics, particularly means and standard deviation, were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed varying perceptions regarding the effectiveness of government policies post-EndSARS in addressing police brutality and safeguarding human rights in Nigeria. While some acknowledged positive progress, skepticism remained about the overall effectiveness of these policies. Law-enforcement changes post-EndSARS did not lead to increased transparency and accountability, nor did they align with international standards. Government commitments post-EndSARS were met with skepticism, indicating a need for more decisive action and communication. Moreover, there was no significant consensus regarding the link between government actions on police brutality and citizen perceptions of responsiveness. Based on the findings, recommendations include strengthening mechanisms for implementing and monitoring government policies, prioritizing institutional reforms within law ...

Intersex human rights abuses are rooted in European colonization, scientific and medical racism, and the oppression of African people. Review of: Envisioning African intersex: Challenging colonial and racist legacies in South African medicine. By Amanda LockSwarr, Durham, NC: Duke University Press. 2023. pp. 248. $25.95/$99.95 (paperback/hardback). ISBN 978‐1‐4780‐1961‐9

Intersex human rights abuses are rooted in European colonization, scientific and medical racism, and the oppression of African people. Review of: Envisioning African intersex: Challenging colonial and racist legacies in South African medicine. By Amanda LockSwarr, Durham, NC: Duke University Press. 2023. pp. 248. $25.95/$99.95 (paperback/hardback). ISBN 978‐1‐4780‐1961‐9

Evolution of Sustainability and Media Coverage at the 2022 Qatar World Cup: An Analytical Study

Sustainability has become a key component of Sports Mega-Events (SME) since its inception in the 1980s and has evolved to include themes around social, economic, and environmental fronts. The 2022 Qatar World Cup is the first to be hosted in the Middle East, which presented a unique opportunity not only for Qatar to demonstrate its culture and heritage globally but also to allow people from around the world to connect with and share the Middle Eastern way of life. However, the event faced consistent criticism from Western media, governments, and NGOs, which became the key global narrative around the World Cup and reflected in the event’s sustainability strategy. This study first analyzes the sustainability frameworks of recent SMEs and finds an overwhelming focus on human rights issues in the Qatar World Cup, unlike other contemporary events. To understand this phenomenon, a content analysis of the coverage of the World Cup in major global news agencies found largely negative reporting of the event on issues such as corruption, human rights abuses, and intolerance towards marginalized communities. Applying the framework of Orientalism helps explain this disparity, and the paper furthers some tentative suggestions for governments and sports organizing bodies to adopt a sustainable framework, which is culturally responsive and aware of the needs of countries from the Global South.

A political theology for the Ghanaian context from Christ’s perspective

One of the key challenges facing contemporary Ghana is ineffective political structures and leadership. Leadership failure is the main reason why Ghana continues to experience socio-economic challenges such as poverty, hunger, poor education system, poor road networks, injustice, high unemployment rate, human right abuse, and local currency depreciation despite the country’s vast natural resources. Ghana’s socio-economic problems continue to attract scholarly attention and yet, the problems persist. As a predominantly Christian nation, the church has a major responsibility to engage the country’s political space by analysing and scrutinising political structures with the effect of chatting a new path of socio-economic and political developments. This research was, therefore, conducted to contribute to the ongoing discussion by exploring how a contextual application of political and leadership lessons embedded in Jesus’s teaching in Mark 10:35–45 might address the Ghana’s political needs. The article is a qualitative research that analysed data collected from books, Bible commentaries, journal articles, and dissertations.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves systematic and/or political theology, New Testament studies, and leadership and/or governance. It argues that for Ghana to overcome her political challenges, leadership must be seen as a position of service rather than an opportunity to amass wealth at the expense of others. The article contributes to the field of political theology in the Ghanaian setting.

Prevention and Legal Protection for Victims of Human Trafficking and Drug Abuse Offenses

Prevention and Legal Protection for Victims of Human Trafficking and Drug Abuse Offenses

Migration, Human Trafficking, Sexploitation and Trauma in Amma Darko’s Beyond The Horizon

Human trafficking and sexploitation have become prevalent migration configurations in Africa that often plunges the victims into harrowing mental, emotional, and physical trauma. This paper aims at portraying African female immigrants’ experiences in Amma Darko’s Beyond the Horizon projecting the female migrant characters as victims of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and economic exploitation in the hands of their selfish and egoistic husbands. Given the complexities of the lives of African women who immigrate to Europe and get caught in a spider’s web of prostitution and pornography, the fictionalized German universe in the text reveals that Europe is not the “Eldorado” where milk and honey flows in abundance as perceived by most Africans. The paper’s analysis employs a feminist analytical framework to examine the objectification and commodification of the black female body. It submits that, despite their traumatic experiences, these African immigrant women assert their sexuality by challenging the status quo thereby obtaining for themselves an emancipated female agency that allows them to take control of their own bodies as well as their financial gains.

Investor Obligations: Transformative and Regressive Impacts of the Business and Human Rights Framework

Abstract The business and human rights (BHR) framework has regularly been considered the superior legal regime of corporate accountability for business-related human rights abuses, which must be both protected from and incorporated into investment treaties. However, investment treaties have surpassed the BHR framework in an important respect: certain investment treaties impose strict international legal obligations, including human rights-related obligations, directly on investors, thereby going beyond the normatively ambiguous corporate responsibility to respect. Investment treaty reform initiatives, including those seeking to align investment treaties with the BHR agenda, should, therefore, take care to avoid inadvertently undoing this advance towards investors’ legal accountability.

P.021 Nonclinical studies of abuse potential with dual orexin-receptor antagonists: concordance with real-world use

Background: Traditional insomnia drugs enhance gamma-aminobutyric acid and are associated with abuse/dependence. Dual orexin-receptor antagonists (DORAs) represent an alternate mechanism promoting wakefulness, rather than inhibition. Nonclinical studies indicate DORAs do not demonstrate abuse potential. Nonetheless, based on human abuse potential (HAP) studies and lack of postmarketing data at approval, DORAs are Schedule 4 controlled substances. However, HAP studies may not predict real-world abuse-potential risk. Methods: Adverse events with preferred terms (PTs) of drug-withdrawal-syndrome, drug-abuse, and drug-dependence were evaluated from Eisai’s ongoing global postmarketing safety surveillance system in the US, Canada, and Japan (20/Dec/2019–30/Sep/2023) and the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS; 01/Jan/2015–30/Jun/2023). In FAERS, reports of those PTs from DORAs (lemborexant/suvorexant/daridorexant) were compared with zolpidem and with benzodiazepines approved for patients with insomnia (estazolam/temazepam/triazolam). Results: Since lemborexant’s approval, few of the 3 PTs were reported in Eisai’s surveillance system (~0.15 cases per million patient-days of global exposure). Reports in FAERS for PTs of drug-withdrawal-syndrome, drug-abuse, and drug-dependence for DORAs (10,202 reports) were <0.1%/<0.1%/0.1%, respectively. Reports for benzodiazepines (5534 reports) were 0.8%/12.9%/3.7%, respectively, and 1.0%/9.1%/5.3% for zolpidem (18,330 reports), respectively. Conclusions: Abuse potential may be better represented by nonclinical studies and national surveillance systems, suggesting DORAs may not pose meaningful abuse potential and related risks.

Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Ever since the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) be-gan to take off in the 1970s, multinational corporations (MNCs) and international organizations have attempted to implement a variety of voluntary initiatives to detect and prevent human rights and environ-mental abuses within corporate supply chains. Despite these voluntary initiatives, however, human rights violations and environmental dam-age have continued to occur frequently within the supply chains of MNCs, leading to increased calls for binding, “hard law” remedies. The adoption of the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011 catalyzed efforts to adopt domestic mandatory human rights due diligence (mHRDD) laws, and since 2017, a growing number of nations have passed more comprehensive human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) laws that recognize the connection between human rights and the environment. The most ambitious HREDD proposal thus far is the European Union’s proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), which, when enacted, will impose mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence requirements on corporations that conduct business in the European Union. This Note assesses the feasibility and desirability of adopting domes-tic HREDD legislation in the United States based on the framework provided by the EU’s proposed CS3D. The predominant reliance in the U.S. on voluntary CSR initiatives and limited disclosure regulations is insufficient to prevent human rights and environmental abuses in the supply chains of US-based MNCs. This Note argues that the proposed CS3D provides a promising model for how Congress could take strong-er action in this area. Although it would not completely prevent adverse impacts and could be initially challenging to implement because of the ambiguity surrounding its scope, comprehensive federal HREDD legislation based on the CS3D framework would be a significant step towards filling in the gaps in U.S. corporate accountability.

China, power and the United Nations Special Procedures: Emerging threats to the “crown jewels” of the international human rights system

AbstractChina's growing human rights abuses have attracted the attention of the United Nations (UN) Special Procedures, a central mechanism of the UN's international human rights monitoring system. In response to this growing scrutiny, Beijing has deployed compulsory power through criticism of particular individuals serving as Special Procedure mandate holders and directed funding toward select mandates that align with China's interests; institutional power with repeated efforts to change the rules governing the work of the Special Procedures; and productive power by, for example, introducing the idea that there is a lack of diversity among those serving in the Special Procedures system. China's forceful language had some impact on particular actors, especially UN staff who sought to avoid Beijing's ire. At the same time, China's overall impact on this part of the UN remains modest as the Special Procedures continue to be able to act independently, have spoken out about China's abuses and the selection process has not been captured by Beijing. While there are other parts of the human rights regime where Beijing is able to shape norms, ideas, and procedures, thus far, the Special Procedures have been able to withstand the PRC's projection of power.

Human Rights and Transitional Justice in the Maldives: Closing the Door, Once and For All?

In 2020, the Maldives instituted a transitional justice process to address decades of systematic human rights abuses including the widespread use of arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, and the forced depopulation of entire island communities. While the country’s decision to confront its violent past is not unusual, the institution it has established to undertake that task is. Rather than institute a truth and reconciliation commission (TRC), refer cases to its Human Rights Commission, or undertake criminal trials in its domestic judicial system, the Maldives has taken the unprecedented step of establishing a temporary Ombudsperson’s Office for Transitional Justice (OTJ). Comparing the OTJ to national human rights institutions and TRCs, this article examines how and why the Maldives’ transitional justice process has taken this unusual form. It suggests that the OTJ represents a new attempt to address the full range of human rights abuses, including violations of social and economic rights, perpetrated by repressive regimes.