Comparative Human Rights Diplomacy [electronic resource] / by István Lakatos.

Is the world ready to overcome the thesis of the clash of civilizations? -- From the historical legacy of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights until the comprehensive assessment of the United Nations Human Rights Council -- The internal and external human rights diplomacy of the European Union The economic giant became a decisive international human rights actor? -- The human rights diplomacy of Latin American and Caribbean states in light of the challenges of transitional justice: Coping with the shadows of the past, extreme social differences, and poverty -- Implementing universal human rights standards in and by sub-Saharan African states in the shade of local traditions -- Human rights diplomacy of Asia-Pacific states in the United Nations Human Rights Council in light of the "Asian values debate" and regional human rights initiatives -- Human rights diplomacy of Muslim states at multilateral forums -- The United Nations Human Rights Council: A platform for the clash of civilizations or a forum of cross-regional cooperation?.

"It is a special value of his work that it also pays special attention to the relevant historical, religious, cultural, and political backgrounds which shaped the human rights diplomacy of the given regions. His more than two decades of multilateral human rights diplomacy experience is well seen in the precise analytical approach Ambassador Lakatos follows during the entire book, providing insights for those who are interested in the "secrets" of multilateral diplomacy." -Gianni Buquicchio, President of the Venice Commission "Lakatos demonstrates that government claims of "cultural particularities" and "traditional values" in reality most often seek to mask the suppression of rights at home. Ruling elites who abuse rights to maintain their grip on power fear a strong international system which could endanger their position. Lakatos concludes optimistically that the slow but inexorable democratization process worldwide will lead to more states which respect rights at the national level who will in turn strengthen the global enforcement system." -Reed Brody, Human Rights Lawyer "This work by Dr Lakatos is an important contribution to the work of diplomatic practitioners, academics, and other policymakers, and invaluable to those keen to get a perspective of how countries behave within the realm of international relations, in balancing the need to address genuine human rights concerns from a global perspective, while at the same time allowing time and space domestically to nurture the presented values." -Javed Faizal, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Maldives This book provides a comprehensive picture of the human rights diplomacy of the sub-Saharan African states, Asian states, Muslim states, the European Union, and the Latin American and Caribbean states. The book is based on the assumption that the religious and cultural norms of all important civilizations/cultures/religions can be reconciled, within certain limits, with the international human rights standards. The book explodes the myth that the UN Human Rights Council has become a platform for a "clash of civilizations". Dr. István Lakatos is a carrier diplomat since 1993, a former human rights ambassador. He holds an LLM and a PhD in law and an MA in IR. He served in Geneva at the Hungarian UN Mission and at the Council of Europe Mission to the UN. Presently, he is a Senior Adviser to the Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro.