Human rights and arms trade challenges within the proximity of buffer zones

Abstract

This thesis examines human rights disparities and the impact of buffer zones on human rights protection. Focusing particularly on the legal distinction between de jure and de facto buffer zones, comparing the Cyprus Buffer Zone and the Táchira-Norte de Santander region. The primary focus is directed towards the implementation of international and regional treaties, such as the Arms Trade Treaty, as a mechanism to mitigate human rights violations in conflict-prone regions. The research also analyses the effectiveness of legal frameworks, such as the ECHR, ACHR, ICCPR, and UDHR, when concerned with direct and structural violations related to displacement, discrimination, and illicit arms trafficking. The findings indicate that the legal status of a buffer zone is the determining factor of how well human rights can be safeguarded, and how state and non-state actors can be held accountable for human rights omissions.