Theme Resolution “Human Rights and Trade”

Notes the 2011 Manila Congress Theme, “Human Rights and Trade”, which discusses the linkage between observance of human rights and the system of free trade;

Human Rights

Reaffirms that human rights are universal and fundamental rights which human beings possess by virtue of their humanity, and not on the basis of their citizenship, race, nationality, language, ethnicity religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, or any other status;

Reiterates that human rights are inalienable – no other person or institution can take them away except in specific situations and in accordance with due process;

Declares that respect for human rights and non-discrimination are essential in creating a society within which individuals can flourish, develop, and pursue what is best for themselves and the rest of society;

Upholds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and related treaties, conventions, resolutions, and instruments that promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups;

Espouses the fundamental rights and conditions mentioned in Liberal International’s founding document, the Oxford Liberal Manifesto of 1947, namely:

personal freedom, guaranteed by the independence of the administration of law and justice,
freedom of worship and liberty of conscience,
freedom of speech and of the press,
freedom to associate or not to associate,
the opportunity of a full and varied education according to ability and irrespective of birth or means,
the right to private ownership of property and the right to embark on individual enterprise,
consumer’s free choice and the opportunity to reap the full benefit of the productivity of the soil and the industry of men,
security from the hazards of sickness, unemployment, disability and old age,
equality of rights between men and women;

Argues that these rights and conditions are essential in the achievement of stability and progress, and can only be realized under true democracy;

Maintains that human rights include not only political and civil rights, but economic and social rights as well;

Agrees that these rights are interrelated, interdependent and indivisible – the realization of one right facilitates advancement of the others. Alternatively, the deprivation of one right adversely affects the others;

Notes that political and civil rights can only be realized in a context where the right to subsistence and security are recognized;

Recognizes:

the need to strengthen recognition and implementation of political, civil, economic and social rights by enshrining them in the country’s constitution, beings to take advantage of their equal rights,
the need to protect and promote the rights of national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities,
the need to abolish laws that discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation,
the need to end trafficking in human beings for whatever purpose — sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, sale of internal organs, among others,
the need to protect stateless people from a wide-ranging loss of rights because they have no nationality recognized by any government,
the need to forge a culture which abhors discrimination and promote tolerance through human rights education,
the need to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice;

Expresses concern that observance of human rights is still problematic in many parts of the world, particularly those living under a despotic government, or those experiencing a crisis or war;

Acknowledges that in these contexts, governments, which should be the protector of human rights, could be their primary violators;

Defends and supports activists who have risked their lives and personal freedom, to fight for human rights and civil liberties;

Promotes the establishment or strengthening of human rights institutions and mechanisms to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms at the global, regional and national levels;

Encourages the involvement of various sectors of society in the formulation, implementation and review of relevant policies dealing with human rights;

Reiterates that respect for human rights is essential to social stability and progress, while neglect of human rights breeds resentment, hatred and unrest;

Acknowledges that in the contemporary world society, poverty can be considered as the worst offence to human rights, and that this problem can be mitigated by the system of free and fair trade, among other mechanisms.

Free Trade

Reaffirms the potential of free trade to empower the individual and to increase living standards worldwide;

Reiterates that a system of trade based on market competition generally benefits all concerned, while protectionism only favors certain groups;

Recognizes that free trade entails:

an environment conducive to private initiative and human creativity,
liberalization and deregulation of the economy,
free flow of labour,
end to state and private monopolies,
property rights and the rule of law, and
investor-friendly climate through appropriate taxation, administrative predictability and transparency;

Acknowledges that the system of free trade is often hampered by:

tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade,
trade disputes and currency wars,
political instability, inter-communal violence, dictatorship and war, and
the corruption, ineptitude, and weaknesses of many governments;

Takes note of the claim that the system of free trade resulted in underdevelopment, destruction of the environment, and depletion of natural resources in many countries;

Emphasizes the need to forge a liberal trade regime that supports both economic progress and sustainable development on a worldwide scale;

Calls for the mitigation of impacts of trade to vulnerable groups, particularly women and children;

Highlights that free trade must be guided by certain rules enforced by accountable institutions at the international, regional and national levels;

Supports the continuation of multilateral trade negotiations which hope to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade;

Recognizes the importance of reconciling free trade with effective public policies towards sustainable development and alleviation of poverty;

Views trade not just an end in itself, but as a means towards improving human quality of life;

Human Rights and Free Trade

Reaffirms that human rights, together with the free market economy, represent two pillars of liberalism.

Recognizes that human rights observance and wealth generation are inseparable. When those who hold political or economic power are not held accountable, the result is often worsening poverty – a severe violation of human rights.

Declares that the moral challenge for today’s world is to correct the notion that free trade can be practiced without recognition of fundamental human rights;

Debunks the argument that economic development through free trade can only be fully realized in an environment which curtails fundamental rights;

Emphasizes that the system of free trade entails respect for fundamental political, civil, economic and social rights;

Underlines that observance of human rights is necessary for the achievement of the benefits of free trade;

Maintains that with the observance of human rights, citizens can hold the government accountable for its economic policies, prevent corruption and abuse of power and protect people from the cruelties of autocratic regimes;

Argues that observance of human rights can promote individual human development and may lead to improvements in education, health and the environment;

Notes that a free society is the best framework to guarantee human dignity and human rights – that government interference in every area of society and the economy stiffles initiative and creativity.

Be it therefore resolved that Liberal International:

Commends the detailed study of the 2011 Manila Congress Theme report and political action on the Theme Resolution, “Human Rights and Trade”, which shows the interdependecy between human rights and free trade;

Recognizes that international solidarity is essential in making respect for human rights and system of free trade universal in its spirit and application;

Calls upon member parties to urge their governments:

To abide by international human rights instruments, to reconcile these instruments with national legislation, and to increase the effectiveness of financial and practical support to organizations which work for the protection and promotion of human rights; and To urge all countries to dismantle tariff and non-tariff barriers for agricultural products, industry and services because integrating the poorest countries into international trade is the best way to create growth, alleviate poverty, and foster a society that guarantees human rights.