The Arc Toward Justice and Peace

From the Publisher William Schabas courageously declared that peace is a human right at a time when prominent human rights advocates have called for the use of military force in the support of human rights. This chapter in his honour supports his position. Human rights law and the law of peace are aligned; both are essential to the flourishing of humanity and the natural world. The chapter seeks a reversal of the trend that accepts killing in the name of human rights as morally justified and possibly even lawful. Following Schabas, the argument here is for greater understanding of the interconnected and mutually reinforcing nature of general international law, especially the law of peace, and human rights law. Humanity needs peace for human rights to flourish, and the world needs the robust rule of law for peace