INTERNATIONAL ETHICS AND FUNDING

Ethics is the study of a moral code of conduct or ideal behaviour that humans should strive for. It also serves as a guide to the field of international relations. International ethics is a branch of international relations theory concerned with the scope and extent of ethical obligations between nations in a globalised world. It explains how countries and other entities regard other countries and their citizens. It provides direction to the international community on how to address global concerns. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), for example, has aided in the equitable distribution of resources in the world's oceans. There has been a lot of progress in the resurgence of ethics in modern International Relations. Scholars have been debating the appropriate behaviour of states, institutions, and people for decades. 


International ethics: 

International ethics is defined as the benefits that international interactions, exchanges, and relationships can offer to all living forms, as well as the harm that unfriendly, hostile, or uncooperative behaviour can cause. In a nutshell, international ethics is a branch of international relations theory concerned with the scope and extent of ethical obligations between nations in a globalised era. 


Importance of International Ethics: 

  • Legitimacy is granted and revoked by ethics. Based on society's essential ideals, new practices have arisen or been abolished.
  • Rights and Responsibilities: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and other international agreements such as the Refugee Convention, have all attempted to forge widespread consensus on the content of human rights.
  • Peace and Harmony: When building international organizations, declarations, and forums, ethics strives for a "Peaceful World," "Respect for All," and "Equality." For example, the desire for equality at the IMF and UN shows, in some ways, the demand for ethical behaviour.
  • Solidarity: Natural disasters and refugee crises necessitate a more humane global perspective. These are not isolated incidents; rather, it is the responsibility of every global citizen to assist in times of need. Aid amid natural disasters, for example (the Nepal earthquake)
  • Fairness is concerned with normative requirements for acceptable contribution, equitable consideration, and just desert. For instance, Amartya Sen's "capabilities approach."

International ethics and international funding: 

International funding, it is widely assumed, aids in the capacity building and empowerment of local development players (such as NGOs) in poor nations. This is a democratic and inclusive approach to development. When there are regions in the globe where there are no possibilities, economic insecurity, war, instability, hunger, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, terrorism thrives. As a result, lifting people out of poverty is one of the most effective strategies to combat global terrorism. This can be accomplished through international finance.

The challenges of reacting to climate change are expected to necessitate collaboration between international and local NGOs and CSOs. Even though many countries, including India, have such needs, many governments, including India, are sceptical of international funding for the following reasons. 


Concerns relating to international funding: 

  • Suppress National Sovereignty: Conditional funding: Donors impose policy frameworks and methods, severely weakening people's rights, options, and decisions to define their demands and activities required for their development. 
  • Conditionality ignores societal diversity and ownership at the local level. For example, IMF loans to India following the 1991 economic crisis came with stringent macroeconomic policy requirements.
  • Funding for Debt-Traps: Due to China's debt-trap diplomacy, foreign support to governments in the form of loans to encroach on national sovereignty has also come to light. China gives loans to Pakistan for the 'One Belt One Road initiative, but Pakistan is trapped in China's debt trap because it is unable to repay the loans.

 

  1. Grants to non-governmental organizations: 
  • There is a growing suspicion that foreign government contributors are attempting to influence the target country's policies and serve their interests by sponsoring local NGOs, giving their views undeserved prominence, and underwriting their actions.
  • It has been claimed that foreign operatives utilize NGOs to achieve their goals, such as causing social unrest, delaying development projects, and so on. Greenpeace protects western interests by delaying coal-fired power plants.
  • Many say that foreign sponsorship is undemocratic since it goes against the "of the people, by the people, for the people" premise.
  • From this perspective, progressive or otherwise, civil society is legitimate when it can raise finances domestically, while NGOs that rely on foreign funding, on the other hand, corrupt the will of the people.

 

  1. A threat to national security: 
  • Terrorist organizations are being funded. For example, Pakistan's ISI has been actively sponsoring extremist organizations in order to sow social unrest, radicalize local youths, and recruit them for terrorism.
  • Foreign investment in technology (software and hardware) enterprises constitutes a cyber-security concern in the information age. For example, India banned numerous Chinese apps last year and made the foreign direct investment (FDI) through government channels necessary for investments from surrounding countries.

 

  1. Elections' legitimacy is eroded: 
  • Foreign funds are authorized to be invested in Electoral Bonds. This opens up a new, more direct channel for foreign influence on domestic politics.
  • Some western countries have accused Russia of interfering in their elections without their knowledge. Such situations can also occur in India.

 

  1. Clinical Trials Funding: 
  • Many Western countries have been accused of sponsoring unpaid clinical trials in impoverished African and Asian countries.
  • This is a flagrant breach of human rights.

CONCLUSION:

Even though overseas funding raises several ethical concerns, it is still necessary for any country's development. If properly utilized, this funding has the potential to propel the country forward on a path of growth and prosperity. International organizations and governments must develop an international framework to ensure that international monies are given and received ethically. As a member of the United Nations Security Council, India can utilize its influence to prod the international community toward this aim.


REFERENCES: 

https://iasscore.in/current-affairs/mains/ethical-issues-in-international-funding

https://selfstudyhistory.com/2015/08/31/ethical-issues-in-international-relations-and-funding-part-1-gs-paper-4/

https://www.civilserviceindia.com/subject/General-Studies/notes/ethical-issues-in-international-relations-and-funding.html



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