Human rights represent the liberal idea that there are basic universal norms that should apply to…

Human rights represent the liberal idea that there are basic
universal norms that should apply to all persons, no matter where they live or
who they are. Human rights law insists that states have a duty to treat their
citizens in accordance with these norms and to protect them in instances in
which these norms are being violated.

The universality of human rights is both its great strength
and its great weakness. Much criticism of human rights has focused on the
extent to which they are not universally regarded or enforced. States may
exhibit concern for human rights, but will rarely
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Human rights represent the liberal idea that there are basic
universal norms that should apply to all persons, no matter where they live or
who they are. Human rights law insists that states have a duty to treat their
citizens in accordance with these norms and to protect them in instances in
which these norms are being violated.

The universality of human rights is both its great strength
and its great weakness. Much criticism of human rights has focused on the
extent to which they are not universally regarded or enforced. States may
exhibit concern for human rights, but will rarely criticize their military or
trading partners for human rights abuses, and more rarely still would intervene
to protect the human rights of another state’s citizens. This view is one that
fits well with realist accounts of global politics.

Critical theorists point out the extent to which most of the
norms embedded within existing human rights treaties are derived from Western
conceptions of law and morality. Imposing them on the rest of the world may be
yet another feature of contemporary colonial politics. While most rights have
been derived from Western conceptions of law and morality, this observation has
also been used for decidedly nonprogressive ends. For example, when asked about
the execution of two gay men in his country, Iranian president Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said that, unlike North America, Iran did not have any homosexuals.
Despite Ahmadinejad’s claims, in fact in Iran homosexuality does exist and is considered
a crime punishable by death.

Critics of human rights point to real problems, such as lack
of resources, a cynical approach by state leaders and problems of reconciling
the universal and the particular. How would you sort through the theoretical and
practical issues associated with human rights protections?

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