Human rights:

Are fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death.
They are based on the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings. Apply to all people, regardless of
race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. (UN, 2023).Cannot be taken
away. All rights are equally important and cannot be fully enjoyed without the others.

Examples

* Right to life

* Freedom from torture

* Freedom of expression

* Right to education

* Right to work

* Right to equality before the law

Culture

Definition:

Culture encompasses a broad range of shared values, beliefs, customs, traditions, and behaviors that
characterize a particular group of people. It includes language, religion, art, music, literature, social
norms, and ways of life.

Individual culture

Refers to the unique set of values, beliefs, and behaviors that shape an individual's worldview and
experiences. It encompasses a person's:

*Personal Values

*Belief Systems

*Life Experiences

*Family Background

The core principles of human rights provide a strong foundation for understanding why they do not
depend on individual cultures:(Hoffman, D (2003)

Universality and Inalienability:

Human rights are universal and inalienable. All people everywhere in the world are entitled to them. The
universality of human rights is encompassed in the words of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

Indivisibility:

Human rights are indivisible. Whether they relate to civil, cultural, economic, political or social issues,
human rights are inherent to the dignity of every human person. Consequently, all human rights have
equal status, and cannot be positioned in a hierarchical order. Denial of one right invariably impedes
enjoyment of other rights. Thus, the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living cannot be
compromised at the expense of other rights, such as the right to health or the right to education.

Interdependence and Interrelatedness:

Human rights are interdependent and interrelated. Each one contributes to the realization of a person’s
human dignity through the satisfaction of his or her developmental, physical, psychological and spiritual
needs. The fulfilment of one right often depends, wholly or in part, upon the fulfilment of others. For
instance, fulfilment of the right to health may depend, in certain circumstances, on fulfilment of the
right to development, to education or to information.

Equality and Non-discrimination:

All individuals are equal as human beings and by virtue of the inherent dignity of each human person.
No one, therefore, should suffer discrimination on the basis of race, colour, ethnicity, gender, age,
language, sexual orientation, religion, political or other opinion, national, social or geographical origin,
disability, property, birth or other status as established by human rights standards.

Participation and Inclusion:

All people have the right to participate in and access information relating to the decision-making
processes that affect their lives and well-being. Rights-based approaches require a high degree of
participation by communities, civil society, minorities, women, young people, indigenous peoples and
other identified groups.

Accountability and Rule of Law:

States and other duty-bearers are answerable for the observance of human rights. In this regard, they
have to comply with the legal norms and standards enshrined in international human rights instruments.
Where they fail to do so, aggrieved rights-holders are entitled to institute proceedings for appropriate
redress before a competent court or other adjudicator in accordance with the rules and procedures
provided by law. Individuals, the media, civil society and the international community play important
roles in holding governments accountable for their obligation to uphold human rights.

Why Human Rights Do Not Depend on Culture:

Shared Humanity:

The fundamental principles of human rights are based on the shared values of human dignity and
equality. These values transcend cultural boundaries and are applicable to all people, regardless of their
cultural background.as all people have the same human dignity,values and rights no human right is
provided for an individual

Cultural Relativism vs. Human Rights:

The concept of cultural relativism, which suggests that all moral and ethical standards are relative to a
particular culture, can be used to justify human rights violations. However, this view is incompatible with
the universal nature of human rights.

Protecting the Most Vulnerable:

Human rights are particularly important for protecting the most vulnerable members of society, such as
women, children, and minorities. Cultural norms and traditions can sometimes be used to justify
discrimination and abuse against these groups.

The Role of Culture:

While human rights are universal, it is important to acknowledge that culture plays a role in how human
rights are understood and applied.

Cultural Context:

The application and interpretation of human rights should take into account cultural contexts. This
means that while the core principles of human rights remain the same, the specific ways in which they
are realized and protected may vary depending on the cultural context.

Dialogue and Understanding:

Open dialogue and understanding between cultures are crucial to ensure that human rights are
respected and protected in a way that is both universal and culturally sensitive.
In Conclusion:

Human rights are fundamental and universal, applying to all individuals regardless of their cultural
background. While acknowledging cultural diversity is important, it should never be used to justify the
violation of fundamental human rights. The goal is to find ways to uphold human rights in a manner that
is both universal and culturally sensitive.

Robert F. Gorman, Edward S. Mihalkanin. 2nd ed. Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2007

Firestone Library: Non Circulating (Fnc) JC571 .

Edited by Janusz Symonides and Vladimir Volodin; preface by Koïchiro Matsuura. 2003 ed. Paris: Unesco,
2003.

Ian Brownlie and Guy S. Goodwin-Gill. 5th ed. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2006.

Hoffman, D. and Rowe, J. (2003) ‘The Convention and the United Kingdom’, Human Rights in the UK: A
General Introduction to the Human Rights Act 1998, London, Pearson Longman.