9781422285510

Chapter one

The UN Charter and the UN’s Role in Human Rights

Imagine you are a young boy of thirteen —a child soldier— forced to fight by the government of Myanmar (Burma), a country in southeast Asia, or armed groups fighting against the government.The independent human rights organization Child Soldiers International reports that, while the Myanmar government committed to stopping the use of underage boys in the military in 2012, armed opposition groups still engage in this practice. Imagine you are a girl living in a rural village in the central American country of Guatemala who must help with chores and raising her Wo r d s t o U n d e r s ta n d discrimination : the practice of unfairly treating a person or group based on their differences. humanitarian : describing work done to improve human welfare. isolationism : the belief that a country should limit their involvement in the affairs of other countries. standard of living : the minimum amount of necessities essential to maintaining a comfortable life.

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Chapter One