Gun Violence in the United States: An Examination of Human Rights Violations, Accountability Challenges, and the Role of International Institutions

Gun violence in the United States claims over 45,000 lives each year. The U.S. government’s persistent refusal to take meaningful action to prevent this crisis constitutes multiple human rights violations, namely the right to life, the rights of children, and the right to effective remedies for victims, among others. International human rights bodies, such as the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, have an obligation to hold the U.S. accountable for these ongoing violations. The European Union also has a duty to support accountability efforts as a close ally and a party to key human rights instruments. In this thesis, I explore the underlying factors contributing to the U.S.’s high rates of gun violence and assess what more international institutions could do to hold the government accountable. I analyze the actions taken so far by global human rights bodies and compare firearm legislation in several European countries to that of the United States. Finally, I offer recommendations for how the United Nations, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and the European Union can better fulfill their human rights mandates and help drive meaningful accountability for gun violence in the United States.