Draft GPUS Platform Amendment Non-Violence Chapter Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 5, NON-VIOLENCE

Human rights are a key element in crisis and conflict prevention. They are the core of a modern security and peace policy. After all, today’s human rights violations are tomorrow’s wars. Security policy must always be human rights policy as well. In combating violent conflicts, the EU must ensure that human rights violations do not occur, in order to prevent a new spiral of conflict and violence from ensuing.

The U.S. should mainstream human rights in all its external policies, including trade. It should act with greater resolve at international level to promote full compliance with international human rights standards. It should work for the ‘humanization’ of the law of nations, whereby human rights take precedence over the sovereignty of states and the international community is better equipped to respond to serious violations of human rights. Continuing support for the International Criminal Court is an exemplary part of this endeavour.

(There was no text for this introduction in the 2004 platform.)