quality of life
- not just material possessions and properties, but also non-material things that people need and desire to improve the way they live
- qualitative
disparity
-economic and social gaps among individuals, communities or countries
standard of living
- level of wealth, material goods and necessities available
- measured and defined with numbers
Human Development Index (HDI)
- the United Nations measure of a country’s level of development
- GDP per capita, life expectancy at birth, adult literacy and school enrolment
internationalism
-the policy of countries working together for the common good regardless of race, religion, nationality and so on
human rights
-a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- 1948
- basis of UN policy
- defines the human rights to which every person on the globe is equally entitled (political, civil, equality, economic, social and cultural rights)
democratization
-the action of making something democratic
U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child
- 1990
- international legislation outlining children’s rights
- all children have the right to grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding, and in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality, and solidarity
U.N. Interagency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE)
- UN agency
- identifies areas of concern for women globally, including violence, poverty, education and training, health, armed conflict, and women in power and decision making
employment equity
-the principle of equal pay for equal work, or for work of equal value
transnationalism
-the creation of political, social, cultural and economic links between geographic locations around the world
Green Revolution
- during 1960s and 1970s
- many traditional farming practices were replaced by technologies
- created increased agricultural production in countries around the world
genetic modification (GM)
-a technology that allows genes from one species to be introduced into another to produce a hardier or higher-yielding strain
biodegradable
- capable of being decomposed by bacteria
- reduces environmental pollution
pandemic
-a worldwide epidemic
World Health Organization (WHO)
- 1948
- observes and warns citizens about flues or pandemics that may be imminent
public trust
-an essential, life-supporting resource for the benefit of everyone that should not be exploited for profit
infrastructure
-systems such as electrical power, transportation and communication that support economic activity
civic responsibility
- the obligation of citizens of the world to responsibly contribute to their society politically, socially or economically
- may include working towards human rights, particular beliefs to improve societies and dollar voting through purchases
boycott
-a consumer’s refusal to purchase goods or services from a company because of disagreement with its corporate policies
consumer activism
-the process of acting within a community or society and possibly the use of boycotts or “dollar voting” in order to influence the decisions or corporate policies of a specific corporation
desertification
-the spreading of deserts as a result of poor agricultural practices, droughts, and climate change due to global warming
Kyoto Protocol
- February 16, 2005
- international agreement intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a means to combat climate change
