Leiden University Student Repository

Vries, Ruby de (2022)

The Role of Human Rights NGOS as Watchdogs over International Human Rights: A Comparative Analysis of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Advocacy Mechanisms During the 2015 Migrant Crisis

Master thesis | Public Administration (MSc)

Despite the efforts, refugees who have fled to the EU, still face violations to their political and civil rights (UNHCR, 2021). In a result, governments and public institutions require external bodies to oversee their work in order to ensure that Human-Rights are protected Human rights (Dzwonkowska-Godula’s, 2019). HRNGOS, being watch dogs, opt for advocacy mechanisms to hold governments accountable, as stipulated through out literature, limited by confounding variables: Throughout literature, this role of the confounding variables in relation to the role of HRNGOs as watchdogs has been limiting, especially in relation to one another. To understand the role of the confounders on the choices of advocacy and the role of HRNGOs as watchdogs particularly towards governments and making comparisons between existing HRNGOS a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) will be conducted on the cases of Amnesty International and Human-Rights Watch in light of the 2015 refugee crisis. Although the...Show moreDespite the efforts, refugees who have fled to the EU, still face violations to their political and civil rights (UNHCR, 2021). In a result, governments and public institutions require external bodies to oversee their work in order to ensure that Human-Rights are protected Human rights (Dzwonkowska-Godula’s, 2019). HRNGOS, being watch dogs, opt for advocacy mechanisms to hold governments accountable, as stipulated through out literature, limited by confounding variables: Throughout literature, this role of the confounding variables in relation to the role of HRNGOs as watchdogs has been limiting, especially in relation to one another. To understand the role of the confounders on the choices of advocacy and the role of HRNGOs as watchdogs particularly towards governments and making comparisons between existing HRNGOS a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) will be conducted on the cases of Amnesty International and Human-Rights Watch in light of the 2015 refugee crisis. Although the role of watchdogs in terms of expertise does not differ amongst HRNGOs, their roles in acting as whistle-blower, pressures and influencers differs significantly. While outside strategies tend to warn, pressure and influence governments vis-à-vis the citizens, inside lobbying tends to warn, pressure and influence governments directly. However, coincidingly with literature, the results presented that although HRNGOs tend to use a mixture of inside and outside lobbying, they often are specialized in on strategy.Show less

NGOs, Refugees, Human Rights, Watchdogs, Amnesty International, Human Rights, Lobbying

Author

Vries, Ruby de

Faculty

Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs

Specialisation

International and European Governance

Supervisors

Wille, A.C.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en