Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON Vol. 3, No. 1, January 1999 - Articles

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Human Rights and Human Values: The Case for Disarmament
Summary of Geoffrey Pearson’s speech, November 1998 (Edmonton, Alberta)

The intrinsic link between Human Rights and disarmament perceived as two separate entities by the United Nations, was the principal subject in the presentation by Geoffrey Pearson, Vice-President of UNA-Canada at the Edmonton Conference, in late November 1998.

Mr. Pearson argues in his intervention that "[...] while the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) refers to friendly relations between nations and to the right to life, liberty and security of person, there is no exhortation to disarm." That is to say that even if the field of disarmament counts agreements to control or ban conventional weapons, we are far from complete cooperation by all the Member States. Because most armed conflicts in this decade have taken place within states, human beings have been directly victimized as a result Pearson suggests: "[...] the link between disarmament and human rights takes tangible form."

According to the Secretary General in many conflicts small arms or light weapons serve as tools of violence. Mr. Pearson points out that states should respect the concept of collective security in putting the control of arms and the use of force at the top of the list in their discussions and responsibilities.

The efforts to get a global consensus in monitoring and controlling illicit arms transfers are under way. In fact Canada, with other governments, are in the process of developing a Global Convention Prohibiting the International Transfer of Military Small Arms and Light Weapons to Non-State Actors. Sixty non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have decided to support actions of governments on the issue by creating an international network, in which Geoffrey Pearson has a lot of confidence: "It is likely to be the strength and effectiveness of this group that will determine, in the end, the rate of progress towards making disarmament an integral component of the campaign to make the Universal Declaration a common standard of achievement for all peoples."