In Search of Global Health Justice: A Need to Reinvigorate Institutions and Make International Law.

"19: The salient characteristics of modern human rights include: (1) they are definite and high priority norms whose pursuit is mandatory; (2) they are notionally universal, held by people regardless of race, sex, religion, social position, nationality, geographic location, etc.; (3) they exist independently of recognition or implementation, serving then as standards of critique; (4) though not absolute and exception-less, they are normatively strong enough to prevail in conflicts with contrary norms, and justify international action; (5) they imply duties for both individuals and governments; (6) they establish minimum standards of decent social and government practice [62]. 26: Basically, no one actor group has all the information or resources necessary to tackle complex problems, behaviours are shaped collectively through networks of relationships and instruments, and the government’s role is increasingly one of coordinating, steering and bargaining. In this reality of dispersed capacities and resources, there is less recourse to government authority and sanctions, and both norms and mechanisms are erected by many actors, often with competing, conflicting and overlapping interests and objectives. See [10, 48, 52]."

"22: The US has refused to ratify the FCTC 2003, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979), the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), the International Convention for the Protection of all persons from Enforced Disappearances (2006), and more. The US is also persistently in arrears of its UN financial support: [72]."