Question

Express your opinion.

Humanitarian intervention

Answer 1

1. One of the main purposes of the UN in the maintenance of international peace, security, and cooperation. UN Peacekeeping Force comprises of military personnel and resources sent by member States.
2. In the post-cold war era, the UN rationale for intervention was not just to stop ongoing wars but also to prevent the reoccurrence of conflicts and protect the human rights of the affected people.
3. The UN intervened in Cambodia, Somalia, Yugoslavia, East Timor, Eritrea, Syria, etc., for this purpose. In 1993, over 170 nations participated in the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna to reaffirm their commitment to protecting human rights.
4. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was created to coordinate human rights initiatives. The increasing awareness about human rights protection in international law gave rise to humanitarian intervention, especially in conflict zones.
5. NGO's have contributed significantly to the spread of humanitarian intervention for e.g. ICRC, Oxfam, etc. The 1990s are described as the "golden age of humanitarian intervention.