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Global Issues >> Globalization
Globalization
Human Rights in General
A strong majority believes in the idea of universal human
rights. However, awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights is low. A majority has positive perceptions of the human
rights movement.
A strong majority believes in the idea of universal human
rights which are intrinsic, rather than granted by governments.
Asked in a November 1997 Hart Research poll, "Do you
believe that every person has basic rights that are common
to all human beings, regardless of whether their government
recognizes those rights or not, or do you believe that rights
are given to an individual by his or her government?"
76% said that every person has such rights, while 17% said
that such rights are granted by governments. [1]
At the same time, awareness of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights is low. Asked by Hart Research in November
1997 whether "there is an official document that sets
forth human rights for everyone worldwide," only 8% named
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, in a subsequent
question, when told of the existence of the Declaration, another
24% said they had previously been aware of it. [2]
Also, in the same poll, 83% said that the fact that the US
has agreed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was
a very (53%) or fairly (30%) strong reason for the US to do
"more to protect human rights in the US." [3]
The human rights movement appears to be positively viewed
by Americans. Asked in a May 1990 Gallup poll how they feel
about the "human rights movement at home or abroad,"
an overwhelming 90% said they approved of it, with 49% saying
they approved strongly. [4]
More recently, in the November 1997 Hart Research poll, a
robust 39% said they had even "given money or volunteered
with a human rights organization." [5]
In September 1998, Research/Strategy/Management and Columbia
University conducted a study about the public's views of different
types of spokespersons, and asked "how credible
you
think they are
when they speak out on sending United
States forces to fight abroad." Sixty percent said that
"a representative of a human rights organization"
was very (16%) or somewhat (44%) credible on this topic. Respondents
rated human rights spokespersons slightly higher than, for
instance, "a nationally recognized civil rights leader"
(55%) or "a nationally syndicated news columnist"
(57%), but lower than a member of Congress (76%) or "an
expert on foreign policy" (87%). [6]
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