The Principle of Sovereignty versus the Protection of Human Rights during Armed Conflicts

Abstract

This paper examines the principle of Sovereignty in comparison with human lives when there are massive human rights violations. It argues that human life is of utmost importance as recognized by Human Rights instruments and that sovereignty shouldn't override it. Emphasis has been placed on this principle which has watered down the importance of human lives in cases of human rights violations. Adopting purely doctrinal research, this paper questions why sovereignty should override the value of human beings. It concludes that although there's need to uphold this principle in order to avoid random intervention in the internal affairs of States, the principle of Sovereignty should be undermined in cases of gross human rights violations.