Suchergebnisse

The debate on indigenous rights has revealed some serious difficulties for current international law, posed mainly by different understandings of important concepts. This book explores the extent to which indigenous claims, as recorded in the United Nations forums, can be accommodated by international law. By doing so, it also highlights how the indigenous debate has stretched the contours and ultimately evolved international human rights standards. The book first reflects on the international law responses to the theoretical arguments on cultural membership. After a comprehensive analysis of the existing instruments on indigenous rights, the discussion turns to self-determination. Different views are assessed and a fresh perspective on the right to self-determination is outlined. Ultimately, the author refuses to shy away from difficult questions and challenging issues and offers a comprehensive discussion of indigenous rights and their contribution to international law

This article aims to assess the contribution of current international human rights law to the multicultural debate. The article argues that although international law has not engaged in a sustained way with the concept, the basic elements of multiculturalism are in fact promoted by current standards. Among these discussed are the recognition of cultural attachments in the public sphere, the need for interaction among cultures, and the understanding of sub-national groups as equal partners in the evolution of the society. A closer look at the standards and their dynamic interpretation by UN bodies also reveals helpful answers to difficult challenges currently posed by multiculturalism, including extremism and clashes between cultural practices and other human rights.

There has been very little research on the rights of numerically small peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East of the Russian Federation. Even though legislation has recently passed that improves their legal rights and notwithstanding the respect for indigenous cultures, the author reveals a considerable gap between general relevant standards of international law and the real situation of these peoples. Ultimate lack of political will and focus on national economic development maintain discriminatory patterns, discourage any real participation of these communities in decisions that affect them, prolong the violations against their land rights and ultimately endanger their survival. (Human Rights Quarterly, ECMI)