Between global ambitions and local change: how multi-level cooperation advances norm implementation in weak states

Anne Jenichen, Andrea Schapper

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate in which ways multi-level actor cooperation advances national and local implementation processes of human rights norms in weak-state contexts. Examining the cases of women’s rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina and children’s rights in Bangladesh, we comparatively point to some advantages and disadvantages cooperative relations between international organisations, national governments and local NGOs can entail. Whereas these multi-level actor constellations (MACs) usually initiate norm implementation processes reliably and compensate governmental deficits, they are not always sustainable in the long run. If international organisations withdraw support from temporary missions or policy projects, local NGOs are not able to perpetuate implementation activities if state capacities have not been strengthened by MACs. Our aim is to highlight functions of local agency within multi-level cooperation and to critically raise sustainability issues in human rights implementation to supplement norm research in International Relations.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-28
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of International Relations and Development
Volume20
Issue number1
Early online date20 Feb 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2017

Bibliographical note

This is a pre-print of an article published in Journal of International Relations and Development. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Jenichen, A., & Schapper, A. (2015). Between global ambitions and local change: how multi-level cooperation advances norm implementation in weak states. Journal of international relations and development, Advance online, is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/jird.2014.29

Keywords

  • cooperation
  • development
  • human rights
  • post-conflict
  • weak states

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