The task is to identify and clearly outline the human rights issue. This means you need to discuss both the empirical problem (provide evidence of the problem occurring) and how and why this constitutes a breach in human rights. So, you will need to discuss, what the specific human rights provisions you are addressing mean and what their practical implications are. This requires you to demonstrate which human rights norms/ instruments are being violated by the actions you have chosen to write about. As we will discuss throughout the course most human rights issues are cross cutting (i.e. they speak to multiple human rights violations), while others may be a clear violation of one set of human rights norms. In addition, it may be that the human rights issue you are talking about causes other supplementary human rights violations so it is important in your paper that you acknowledge this if it is the case. Finally, you will need to offer distinct, feasible solutions to the problem. We will discuss the complexity of this further as we move throughout the course BUT when writing your policy paper there needs to be an acknowledgement/ assessment of the complexity of the problem you are trying to address this will require you to consider the potential obstacles to implementation. For example, your proposed solution to the human rights violation may have a negative impact on another human rights norm, it is your task to discuss and assess the pros and cons of your policy suggestions. Please note: this is not an essay and therefore it should not be structured like one. To help you with a structure, I have provided you with a suggested outline below. If you want some more guidance it would be a good idea to look through some of the country reports of either Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International. For example: Human Rights Watch, July 20, 2018 You Don’t Want to Breathe Pesticides anymore: The Failing Response to Pesticide Drift in Brazil’s Rural Communities OR Amnesty International, 2016, Island of Despair: Australia’s “processing” of refugees on Nauru. Suggested Structure 1. Executive Summary This is a one paragraph overview of the problem and your solution to it. In the workplace, the executive summary gives people an idea of whether this is a document they want/need to keep reading. It should give them a good sense of the content of the report but without going into detail. 2. The Empirical Problem (choose your own descriptive heading for this – something that tells us about the nature of the problem you are reporting on) In this section you detail the nature of the problem with evidence. For example, if you are reporting on human trafficking, you need to describe the nature and extent of the problem. You can refer to studies conducted on the topic and perhaps provide some statistics on the number of people involved, the locations this takes place and so on. 3. Analysis In this section you need to provide an assessment of the particular human rights that are being breached. To do this effectively, you need to explain what each human right entails, what its origins are (. which human rights documents it is found in), who has an obligation to prevent it or address it and so on. 4. Policy Recommendations In this section you provide your recommendations on how the problem you have identified could be addressed.
