Global Conflicts, Inequality, and Human Rights Violations
Problems and Conflicts in the World Today
Inequality and Poverty
In today’s world, people in many countries endure a very low standard of living or even extreme poverty. Their per capita income, infant mortality rate, and economic dependence on outside factors characterize them as underdeveloped countries. There is an underdeveloped area inhabited by 75% of humanity and a group of developed countries at 25%. While the first group corresponds to 20% of global wealth, the second controls 80%. This mismatch causes economic, political, and social tensions.
- An Unequal World: Center and Periphery
There are large centers of political and economic power: the United States (military power), the European Union, and Japan. These revolve around other countries like Russia and China. Far from the position occupied by these countries, there is a constellation of nations that occupy terrible positions. These are countries that contribute very little to the global gross domestic product and barely participate in trading networks.
- Causes and Factors of Poverty
The origins of underdevelopment in many countries are very complex and have various causes. Their own history, including colonialism, meant the exploitation of their resources. Currently, they are influenced by unequal trade relations: they are forced to sell their raw materials at very low prices and buy high-tech products at very expensive prices. Poverty is reflected in a series of indicative factors:
- Demographic factors: High rates of infant mortality, birth, and fertility.
- Sociopolitical factors: Child employment, high rates of arrests, and a stark contrast between rich and poor.
- Economic factors: Low industrialization and an externally dependent economy.
- Health and living conditions factors: Many diseases.
- Spatial factors: Contrasts between city and countryside.
- The Indicators of Underdevelopment
To correctly assess the degree of development of a population, the Human Development Index is used. This value is obtained from a number of references, from life expectancy to literacy.
The Problems of Migration
Population movements have been a constant in history.
The Origin of Migration
The most frequent causes of migration are economic problems, natural disasters such as droughts, earthquakes, and floods, and forced displacement by human causes, such as wars and dictatorships.
The Consequences
These mass movements affect the issuing societies, receiving societies, and the migrants themselves.
- Issuing societies: Demographically, it can be a relief, but it can also lead to an aging population.
- Host societies: It causes rejuvenation and growth of the population, although it often leads to marginal concentrations (ghettos).
- For the emigrant, moving changes their lives.
Patterns of Integration
Currently, the integration of immigrants is one of the main challenges for host societies. There are several models of integration:
- Assimilation: Minority groups adopt the patterns of life of the host society.
- Melting pot: Interaction between the various groups involved in the creation of a new society resulting from the diffusion of cultures.
- Cultural pluralism: All identify as citizens.
Conflicts in the 21st Century
There are major conflicts on the planet and upside risks to peace because of the recent militarism of some states, the risk of nuclear proliferation, and the threat of international terrorism.
The Hot Spots Worldwide
The control of resources remains a cause of clashes, and the consequence is the underdevelopment of many peoples. Since the demise of the USSR and the fall of communism, the location of conflict has undergone some changes:
- Areas that had remained at peace since the end of World War II, such as the Balkans, have had bloody civil and interstate strife.
- In the East, there is a continuous confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis.
- In Iraq, after the Gulf War and later the American invasion, peace seems far away.
Internal Clashes and New Forms of Conflict
Many dictatorships have disappeared. The confrontation between capitalism and socialism has given way to many conflicts caused by fundamentalists. Predominantly low-intensity conflicts occur, such as in Colombia, where there are fighting guerrillas and military forces supported by drug trafficking.
Global Terrorism
Terrorist acts intend to cause terror among people to achieve their political, economic, or religious goals. When this same strategy is applied by states, it is called state terrorism. The formulas used by terrorist organizations are kidnapping, torture, etc.
Dictatorships and Human Rights Violations
Even today, there are many states that neither recognize nor respect human rights. In these systems, the majority will of the people is broken, and any resistance to the dictatorial power is suppressed with the use of violence.
Characteristics of Authoritarian Systems
- Military dictatorships: The army assumes the powers of the state.
- One-party dictatorships: A party led by a dictator takes over.
The most extreme form of the dictatorial system is the totalitarian regime, which tries to absorb the entire society.
Dictatorships Against Human Rights
In dictatorships, there is no division of powers, and all human rights are violated:
- Political freedoms do not exist, prohibiting all forms of political associations that oppose the dictatorship.
- Individual rights disappear: People are subordinated to the interests of the state and may be killed.
- Freedom of conscience is suppressed.
All dictatorships have a powerful repressive apparatus (army, police, etc.) that tries to terrorize citizens and avoid resistance.
Genocide: The Ultimate Expression of Dictatorial Violence
Dictatorships have been responsible for some of the greatest crimes against humanity, such as genocide, which is the destruction of a group of people with some common characteristics: ethnicity, religion, ideology, etc. There have been many cases of genocide that have cost the lives of millions of people. The best example is the one that the Nazis carried out. Given the seriousness of genocide, it has become a crime pursued internationally.
Equality Between Men and Women
The Struggle for Women’s Rights
The history of mankind has long excluded half the population. There has been anonymity in women for many centuries.
Some Historical Touches
For centuries, women were only assigned tasks related to the family and housework. In patriarchy, men predominate. Women took part in the French Revolution, as did Olympe de Gouges. In 1791, she wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Citizenship, in which she claimed equality with men; she ended up at the guillotine. Behind them, there were other women, like Mary Wollstonecraft, who went on to claim equality between men and women.
The Response of Women
Until the late 19th century, women were quite prepared to sign their work under male pseudonyms. With the Industrial Revolution, women joined the workforce in factories. Suffrage movements emerged, and groups of women were willing to claim their rights.
The 21st Century: Towards Real Equality of Rights
In the most advanced and developed countries, women and men already have equal rights. Nevertheless, full equality has not yet been reached. The situation of women in less developed countries remains precarious; poverty and illiteracy are some of the problems facing women.
From Discrimination to Equal Opportunities
Women were considered inferior to men by the patriarchy; the male is considered better than the female.
Status of Discrimination Against Women
In poorer countries, women suffer discrimination, such as:
- Social discrimination: A woman sees her life in seclusion in the private sphere (the home).
- Discrimination in education: Until recently, women have not been able to access higher education.
- Sex discrimination: In many societies, men consent to infidelities while punishing women harshly.
- Employment discrimination: For a long time, women have only been allocated to domestic work, such as child labor.
How is Inequality Founded?
Inequality between men and women is often based on an incorrect view of reality. Gender stereotypes are predefined by the ideas of being male or female. In the case of women, there are negative stereotypes.
Towards Equality of Opportunity
In recent times, the transformations of developed societies have allowed women access to education and incorporation into all types of work.
Violence Against Women: Zero Tolerance
Violent behavior against women is a common event in society. This violence against women is a serious social and political problem that has too often been tolerated by our society. It is a barrier to equality.
Causes of Violence Against Women
The violence perpetrated against women is related to machismo. Violence against women affects all sectors of society.
Types of Violence and Abuse
There are different types of violence against women:
- Psychological violence: Causes pain in women, including threats and humiliation.
- Sexual violence: Imposition of sex on women, which can become rape.
- Physical violence: Any act that may result in damage to her body.
Prevention of Violence
It is necessary to promote measures to transform this situation: education in the equality of men and women, better sharing of household chores, etc. The media play a vital role: the diffusion of positive role models and the elimination of gratuitous violence.