The Construction of Human Rights: Universality or Western Imperialism?

One of the key issues brought up in the context of human rights is whether they can be considered universal or relative. Some claim that the international human rights regime is relative, or another form of western imperialism, as it is perceived to be developed out of western values. This article argues that international human rights are fundamentally universal, and thus compatible with all cultures, religions, societies and nations. While modern human rights may have been formalized internationally by the west, there are stronghuman rights roots in non-western traditions. The creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines rights that are inalienable to all individuals, blending cultural plurality with individual dignity. Cultural relativist arguments against human rights are often done so by elites in order to maintain power and further their own agendas, which may be clearly seen though a study of female genital mutilation. It becomes apparent that human rights, embedded in international instruments, are universal and should be respected everywhere.