Can Human Rights NGOs Be Trusted in the Corridors of the United Nations and International Criminal Justice Institutions?

Lyal S. Sunga

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Governments around the world have been shortening the leash on human rights non-governmental organization (NGO) watchdogs. Some see NGOs working in the field of human rights, and more recently, those working to fight impunity for serious violations, as Trojan Horses for foreign intervention in their internal affairs. Many worry that NGOs dictate United Nations (UN) human rights and international criminal justice policy, force a Western agenda on countries of the Global South and undermine their national security and sovereignty. Have human rights NGOs become too numerous and too powerful in international and regional policy-making fora? Are they accountable to anyone? Are they really objective and independent? To discover whether or not human rights NGOs can be trusted in the corridors of the UN and international criminal justice institutions, Lyal S. Sunga looks beyond rhetoric and reaction to explore how and why human rights NGOs came to acquire the influence they currently wield, the kinds of NGO issue states argue about in the UN accreditation process, and the many ways in which NGOs interact with the UN human rights system and international criminal justice institutions.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationPartnerships in International Policy-Making
    Subtitle of host publicationCivil Society and Public Institutions in European and Global Affairs
    PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
    Pages107-129
    Number of pages23
    ISBN (Electronic)978-1-349-94938-0
    ISBN (Print)978-1-349-94937-3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2017

    Publication series

    NameInternational Series on Public Policy
    ISSN (Print)2524-7301
    ISSN (Electronic)2524-731X

    Subject classification (UKÄ)

    • Political Science

    Free keywords

    • Foreign Agent
    • International Criminal Court
    • Nongovernmental Organization
    • Security Council
    • United Nations

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