Human rights as a contemporary paradigm of international diplomacy

Abstract

This article analyzes the evolution of human rights-based diplomacy as the result of a historical process that transformed international relations from a model centered on State interests into one oriented toward the protection of human dignity. It argues that this transformation was consolidated through the development of constitutionalism, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law, particularly following the World Wars and the establishment of the United Nations. The study further examines the transition from the rule-of-law state to the constitutional state, highlighting the incorporation of principles such as human dignity, social justice, pacta sunt servanda, and the self-determination of peoples as the foundations of contemporary diplomatic action. It also explores the agendas developed within the United Nations and the Inter-American Human Rights System, emphasizing the growing specialization in issues concerning women, Indigenous peoples, children, migrants, development, the environment, and transitional justice. Finally, it argues that twenty-first-century diplomacy must operate in accordance with international and constitutional human rights commitments, preserving multilateralism, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and compliance with the decisions of international bodies as essential elements for the effective protection of the individual and human dignity.