Global Campus Awarded Theses
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Every year the regional master’s programmes of Global Campus of Human Rights select the best master theses of the previous academic year. The selected seven GC master theses cover a range of different international human rights topics and challenges.
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ItemIndigenous Land Rights and World Heritage Sites. Why Are Some Indigenous Peoples Treated Better than Others by UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee?(Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023)This thesis explores the relationship between UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Indigenous land rights, focusing on the varying levels of protection that UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee afford to Indigenous Peoples. Through an analysis of case studies from different regions, this study seeks to identify patterns in the ways UNESCO and the Committee address Indigenous rights, considering procedures of the World Heritage system and their interactions with national interests. Particular attention is paid to the concepts of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, authenticity, uniqueness and wilderness, and the continuing role of colonialism in conservation. This thesis highlights the increasing politicisation of decision making within the World Heritage Committee and the changing dynamics between the Committee, UNESCO, and its advisory bodies, looking at how this not only threatens Indigenous rights but also limits the effectiveness of the World Heritage Convention. Ultimately, this thesis argues that Indigenous Peoples receive greater or lesser protection due to compatibility with a ‘productive’ use of land, rather than any inherent merits of their cultures. The study highlights the need for more Indigenous involvement in heritage conservation, and how UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee could use their influence to protect Indigenous land rights more effectively.
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ItemTorture of the Innocent. Pretrial Detention in Guatemala from a Human Rights Perspective(Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023)Kafka's novel Trial tells the story of Josef K after being arrested and prosecuted without knowing the reason. This book details the torture experienced by the character to get his freedom. The reality of pretrial detention in Guatemala is not far from the vision of the Czech writer. By the year 2022, 48.3% of prison inmates were pretrial prisoners, that means, innocent people. On this matter, the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala and the new Criminal Procedure Code established limits to the state on the use of pretrial detention, principally the respect of human rights. Additionally, the international treaties of human rights and judgments of its organs contributed to providing greater protection tools to the person. However, during all this time, the legal reforms that were carried out were far from the standards, exacerbating the crisis. For this reason, it is necessary to study the way in which pretrial detention is currently used in Guatemala. This with the objective of identifying if its use implies human rights violations, and to determine the existing good practices, as alternatives to address this problem. Key words: Pretrial detention, human rights, personal liberty.
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ItemYouth Participation in the EU Integration of Western Balkans: A Token or an Effective Tool for Addressing the Enlargement Fatigue?(Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023)Over the past two decades, the prospect of European Union (EU) membership for the Western Balkans has faced numerous obstacles, leading to disillusionment among citizens. The deadlock underpinning the Western Balkans six’s EU prospect stems from both internal challenges within the EU and the region itself. This thesis identifies the elite-oriented and top-down nature of the enlargement process as a key contributing factor to the current fatigue. By focusing on citizen participation and bottom-up dynamics, the research explores the role of young people from the Western Balkans in addressing current challenges and in shaping the region's European integration trajectory. It does so by looking into existing participatory mechanisms that inspire regional youth contributions in the context of enlargement, leveraging the process from the bottom-up. The role of youth participation and agency in the European integration of the Western Balkans is therefore examined by employing a qualitative research methodology, through theoretical reflections building from Europeanisation literature, policy analysis and focus groups with Western Balkans youth. The topics engaged in this work are an often overlooked aspect of European integration, yet as this thesis shows, youth contributions have the potential to challenge existing barriers to enlargement, shape the European integration and work towards a more inclusive and democratic European future. Keywords: Western Balkans, Enlargement Fatigue, Youth Participation, European Integration, Youth Tokenism
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ItemChildren’s Rights to Education in the Digital Era: Barriers of the Digital Divide for Children of Low-Income Families in Nepal(Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023)Human rights in Nepal recognises education as a fundamental right for all individuals. The pathways to achieve undisrupted access to education particularly for children from low-income families are still bounded by poverty and emerging barriers, such as digital divide. Thus, the objective of this research was to identify and critically examine the relationship between the barriers of digital divide and children’s right to education, especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemic which has placed further challenges on the education system. This qualitative research employed a narrative inquiry approach by using key informant interviews (KII) as its research method. The total sample size of this research was 19 key participants including parents of children from low-income families, public school teachers, non-governmental organisations and subject matter experts from Kathmandu, Nepal. The data were analysed by using narrative analysis. The research findings showed that digital divide significantly impacted children’s access to education, including the divide in ownership, access to digital devices and infrastructures. Possessing relevant knowledge, skills, adequate exposure and experience to efficiently use the digital technologies for learning purposes were equally crucial in determining the impacts of digital divide. Moreover, the compounded impacts of digital divide in education and COVID-19 further perpetuated systemic inequalities and reinforced forms of privilege and exclusion within the Nepalese education system. The existing regulatory frameworks of Nepal also proved to be doing very little to address the problems associated with educational inequity and consequent disparities. This research concluded that children from low-income families were continuously challenged by existing and emerging barriers, thus hindering their access to education. Implication of the thesis: This research highlights the gaps in knowledge, understanding and awareness on the prevalence and impacts of digital divide on children’s access to education in Nepal. This research helps raising awareness on the necessary actions needed by relevant duty bearers and stakeholders to ensure children from all backgrounds realise their education rights in an equitable manner in Nepal. Keywords: children’s right to education, access to education, digital divide, barriers of the digital divide, educational inequalities
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ItemSaving the Blue Planet. Climate Justice: Rights & Responsibilities(Global Campus of Human Rights, 2023)This interdisciplinary human rights research investigates how human activities for power genera-tion, leading to carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, have adversely affected human rights. These impacts, referred to as anthropogenic harms, encompass environmental damage caused by human activities, including pollution, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, ul-timately contributing to elevated temperatures and climate change. Climate justice involves rec-ognising human rights and responsibilities in addressing climate change, particularly the unequal impact on marginalised communities. It calls for equitable resource distribution, protection of vulnerable groups and accountability for historical and current climate contributions. Climate jus-tice encompasses a range of concerns, such as displacement due to rising sea levels, dispropor-tionate impact on vulnerable communities, unequal resource access and loss of biodiversity. It has evolved from environmental activism to a broader focus on social equity and human rights in the context of climate change. This includes addressing the disproportionate impact on marginalised communities, advocating for equitable resource distribution and holding individuals, govern-ments and corporations accountable for their actions and policies. This thesis emphasises the pressing need for ‘climate action’, which includes individual, collective and governmental efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns with the United Na-tions' Sustainable Development Goal 13, focused on addressing global temperature rise and its impacts. Such action is crucial for limiting global warming and protecting the planet for future generations. Climate justice urges climate action to address environmental issues stemming from global temperature rise and climate change, particularly impacting vulnerable communities. Rec-ognising the vulnerability principle allows for targeted climate policies, fostering resilience and safeguarding the planet and ecosystems from further degradation. This research used qualitative methods to study the reasons behind rising global temperatures, leading to climate change. Cli-mate change comes with ecological, societal and economic consequences. The study highlights ongoing inequality due to several human factors which violate human rights.