Blame it on the WTO?: A Human Rights CritiqueThe World Trade Organization (WTO) is often accused of, at best, not paying enough attention to human rights or, at worst, facilitating and perpetuating human rights abuses. This book weighs these criticisms and examines their validity, incorporating legal arguments as well as some economic and political science perspectives. After introducing the respective WTO and human rights regimes, and discussing their legal and normative relationship to each other, the book presents a detailed analysis of the main human rights concerns relating to the WTO. These include the alleged democratic deficit within the Organization and the impact of WTO rules on the right to health, labour rights, the right to food, and on questions of poverty and development. Given that some of the most important issues within the WTO concern its impact on poor people within developing States, the book asks whether rich States have an obligation to the people of poorer States to construct a fairer trading system that better facilitates the alleviation of poverty and development. Against this background, the book examines the current Doha round proposals as well as suggestions for reform of the WTO to make it more 'human rights-friendly'. |
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adopted Agreement agricultural Appellate Body Article benefits breach cent Chang Chapter Committee compared concerns Council countries Cultural Rights decisions developing discussed Doha drugs duties economic effect ensure European example exceptions export foreign free trade Furthermore GATT given global greater human rights law ICESCR impact implementation imports imposed increase industry interests international human rights International Law interpretation issue labour largely liberalization measures Members negotiations noted obligations Organization Oxford Panel para particular parties patent permit pharmaceutical political poor poverty Press promote proposals protection regarding regime regulations relevant Report requirements respect restrictions right to food round rules sanctions September 2010 social South Special Rapporteur standards subsidies tariff tion treaties TRIPS UN doc United University World World Trade WTO doc WTO rules