Trading Rights?

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has implications for state sovereignty, the development prospects of poor countries, and the environment. Caroline Dommen focuses on another issue: the human rights questions which arise in the context of the WTO, including domestic health policy and the right to health; agriculture and the right to food; employment and minimum labour standards; and cultural rights. She explores four questions: Does the WTO stop countries from protecting citizens' rights? Do WTO rules violate or threaten human rights? Should WTO Agreements enshrine human rights? Is the WTO compatible with human rights principles? She presents the different points of view on the issues, enabling readers to go beyond polemical over-simplifications and to understand the political dynamics at play.