Insincere commitments : human rights treaties, abusive states, and citizen activism

221 Pages·2012·4.106 MB·English

by  Smith-Cannoy, Heather M

Insincere
Commitments
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Insincere
Commitments
, ,
human rights treaties abusive states

and citizen activism
Heather Smith-Cannoy
Georgetown University Press/Washington, DC
Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC www.press.georgetown.edu
© 2012 by Georgetown University Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Smith-Cannoy, Heather M., Ph. D.
Insincere commitments : human rights treaties, abusive states, and citizen activism /
Heather M. Smith.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-58901-887-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Human rights—International cooperation. 2. Human rights—Government policy.
3. Human rights monitoring. 4. United Nations, Human Rights Committee. I. Title
JZ4974.S65 2012
′
341.48—dc23 2011035687
This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the requirements of the American
National Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
15 14 13 12 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
First printing
Printed in the United States of America
To my Grandfather Kurt Alexander Julius Gattman (1913–2005),
who introduced me to the joys of learning and
inspired me to question the world
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Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
List of Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
1
A New Approach to Commitment and Compliance 17
2
Patterns of Commitment 41
3
Causes of Commitment 64
4
Individual Petitions in Eastern Europe: Racial Discrimination
in Slovakia 92
5
Hungary and the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women 116
6
The UN Human Rights Committee in Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan 139
7
The Causes and Consequences of Commitment Reconsidered 166
Appendix 179
References 183
Index 199
vii
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Illustrations
Figures
1.1 Pressures on Newly Independent States 23
1.2 How NGOs Enhance Compliance 37
2.1 Cumulative Percentage of Treaty Ratifications per Year 44
2.2 Cumulative Percentage of IPM Ratifications per Year 46
2.3 Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR:
Established and Transitional Regimes 48
2.4 Accepting the Oversight of the Committee Against Torture:
Established and Transitional Regimes 49
2.5 Accepting the Oversight of the Committee Against Torture:
Regime Type 50
2.6 Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR: Regime Type 51
2.7 Percentage of States Ratifying Human Rights Treaties
in Western Europe 52
2.8 Regional Support for Human Rights Instruments 54
2.9 Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the ICCPR:
Regional Comparisons 55
2.10 Accepting the Oversight of the Committee Against Racial
Discrimination: Regional Comparisons 56
ix