Civil & Professional Ethics

Course 2012-2013

GROUP ACTIVITY UNIT #2

Science As a Human Right
Karen Kashmanian Oates, Ph.D.
Dean of Arts and Sciences, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Posted: 12/10/2012 5:21 pm
International Human Rights Day is being celebrated around the world today, marking the 64th anniversary
of the signing of the Declaration of Human Rights in the dark wake of the end of World War II. It is a time to
remember what the international community has deemed inalienable rights, including protection from
racial and gender discrimination, and access to economic, social and cultural opportunities. These rights,
which are solidified in law through international "conventions," have been amended over the past six
decades. The most recent addition came six years ago when the United Nations General Assembly adopted
the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. To date, 91
countries have signed that convention. It is time to add to the list again. It is time for science to be
considered a human right.
Science, and the technological advances that emerge from its findings, is more important than ever in the
modern world. The ease with which people can communicate across borders and time zones has helped
grow economies, forge peace and save lives. But that also means that groups without access to technology
-- most often societies in developing countries -- are left behind and will be forced to play catch up for
decades to come.
The "digital divide" -- the disparity between people with access to science and technology, most specifically
the Internet -- translates into another lost generation when it comes to education, public health and
economic viability. It is also our most telling sign that something drastic must be done.
The UN's Under-Secretary-General for its Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimated recently
that only one quarter of the developing world had access to the Internet. "This low number of internet
users in developing countries calls for increased efforts in shaping and implementing appropriate policies to
assist everyone to harness the benefits of the Internet, and advance sustainable development," he said at
the opening of the UN's Internet Governance Forum last month in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Giving science the status of a human right would increase its attention and importance on the international
stage. The Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
not only brought greater light to this abhorrent practice across the world but has been used as a tool to
prosecute war criminals. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has prompted
governments to build into their constitutions guarantees protecting education, housing and health, among
other areas. These rights are more than effective in theory: They have changed the world for the better
many times over.
As a lifelong scientist and educator, I have seen firsthand how science inspires, excites and ultimately
changes lives. This is particularly true for minorities and women, whose professional ranks in science are
thin but growing. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights aimed to right what was wrong with the world
in 1948. Over the decades it has evolved to address other problems and inequities the international
community could never have comprehended in the post-war years. Adopting an international convention
to make access to science a human right not only would be a step in the right direction but would honor
the intent and spirit of the original declaration.

Summarize the main ideas of the text.

Give your own opinion about the challenge of eliminating the digital divide