The big idea: Rights don't protect themselves — actors protect them, and other actors violate them. The twist is that the same actor, especially the state, is often both the main protector and the main violator of rights.
To answer any rights essay, you need to know who does what: which actors defend rights, which abuse them, and how they interact. Start with the four main groups.
- States & governments — the main protectors (laws, courts, police) and the main violators (abuse of their own people).
- IGOs — the UN and its bodies set standards and monitor states.
- NGOs & civil society — watchdogs that expose abuses and campaign.
- Individuals & communities — human rights defenders who protect rights, often at great risk.
The state paradox: The state is the actor most responsible for protecting your rights — and the actor most able to violate them, because it holds the police, courts and army. This paradox is why other actors (IGOs, NGOs) exist: to watch the watchman.
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Because states are both protector and violator, the world relies on watchdogs to expose abuse. The clearest example is a global rights NGO.
Case study — Amnesty International (an NGO watchdog): Amnesty International researches human-rights abuses worldwide, publishes reports, and mobilises millions of members to pressure governments — through letter-writing, campaigns and media. It has no army or law-making power; its weapon is publicity and shame. When a state abuses its people, NGOs like Amnesty make it visible and hard to deny.
So rights are protected by a web of actors: states make and enforce law, IGOs set standards, NGOs expose abuses, and individuals campaign. No single actor is enough — they check and pressure each other.
The key point: Rights are protected and violated by a web of actors — states (both), IGOs, NGOs and individuals. Because the state is both chief protector and chief violator, independent watchdogs (NGOs, IGOs, defenders) are essential to hold it to account.
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Who protects rights best — states, IGOs or NGOs? Each has real power and real limits. Weigh them.
Why NGOs matter despite no legal power
NGOs cannot arrest or legislate, but by exposing abuses to the world they raise the cost of violating rights — a government that wants trade, aid or standing cannot ignore bad publicity forever.
Why IGOs are strong on standards, weak on force
The UN can write treaties and monitor states, giving a universal standard, but it depends on states to act — and powerful states can block enforcement, so its power is more moral than coercive.
Two perspectives — weigh them: One view: only states can truly protect rights, since only they hold real power. Another view: because states are the main violators, IGOs and NGOs are essential to check them. Strong essays evaluate both — usually concluding rights need all of them working together.
How this comes up in Paper 2: A Paper 2 essay might ask who best protects rights — states or others. Remember the state paradox (protector and violator), weigh the actors, then reach a judgement.
The 15-mark markband (what moves you up)
Bands 1–6
Mostly descriptive; perspectives not identified.
avoid
Bands 7–9
Clear knowledge, but perspectives identified, not explored.
7–9
Bands 10–12
Well-supported argument; perspectives explored.
10–12
Bands 13–15
Balanced, compelling; perspectives explored AND evaluated.
13–15
Evaluate the role of non-state actors in protecting human rights.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Common mistakes: 1. Forgetting the state paradox. States both protect AND violate rights.
2. No real actors named. Use Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Council.
3. Over-claiming for NGOs. Note they lack legal force.
4. Listing protections and violations side by side. Judge which the state does more of, and when.
5. No judgement. Conclude on who protects rights best.