Africa: The Law Must Serve Us All
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The East African (Nairobi)
OPINION
7 September 2008
Posted to the web 8 September 2008
Benjamin Mkapa
Nairobi
Recent events and developments have interacted to define the present state of the world. These include natural disasters, political upheavals, terrorism threat, oil prices and financial markets crisis.
All these challenge the existence of an international community with a common good, interest, and global vision based on universal values.
The struggle of the new and developing countries to affirm their presence in the world is not much in evidence but is no less pressing and must be perceived as unrelenting.
This is true notwithstanding, and perhaps because of, the reality that some in their ranks such as China, India and Brazil have evolved into great political and economic powers.
On the political front, there has been little progress in reforming the United Nations to reflect the changed composition, strengths and potentials of the world's nation states.
ECONOMICALLY, THE natural resources and labour of the new and developing countries have historically been regarded as the commons of the developed countries. The resulting trend is one of increasing wealth for the wealthy and increasing poverty for the poor.
According to the 2007 Human Development Report the poorest 40 per cent of the world population accounts for five per cent of global income, and the richest 20 per cent for three quarters.
Concerning the rule of law, the starting point must be an admission that in many countries it covers and applies to everyone but protects only a few. In the same way, the international law covers and applies to all nation states but in fact protects only the powerful few nations.
THE CHALLENGE IN THE 21ST century must be to make the law known to and work for everyone.
According to the same report about 27 million people are enslaved around the world including 20 million in bonded labour.
One out of six children aged five to 17 worldwide are involved in child labour.
Women work two thirds of the world's working hours, produce half of the world's food and yet earn only 10 per cent of the world's income and own less than one per cent of the world's property. Clearly the rule of law does not sufficiently protect women and children.
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Benjamin William Mkapa is a former president of Tanzania and chairperson of the South Centre
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