A panel of five international relations experts discussed the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights before about 40 audience members in 105 Dartmouth Hall yesterday.
Much of the speakers' debate focused on statements made by panelist Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore's ambassador to the United Nations.
Although the world should celebrate the increased recognition of universal rights of the individual, Mahbubani said many countries' overall conditions have not improved.
"While the concept of human rights has traveled widely, the human condition has not improved," he said, citing widespread malnutrition as an example of the problems that afflict large groups of people.
Mahbubani said the world is flawed by "double standards" in which powerful Western countries promote human rights but punish the "weak and impoverished" countries more severely than they do elite countries such as themselves.
As developing countries improve their economic conditions, the lives of their people will improve and their governments will increasingly protect human rights, Mahbubani said.
He said economic sanctions placed on developing countries that violate human rights only hinder progress.
We live in a "culturally diverse" world in which not all people agree about all rights, Mahbubani said.
He called for consideration by the U.N. of the previously proposed Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities to accompany the already ratified 50-year-old document.
"This relentless pursuit [of human rights] has led to a diminution of responsibility in human society," he said.
Jack Donnelly, of the University of Denver's Graduate School of International Studies, countered Mahbubani's arguments. He said "double standards" are a fact of life -- but they should not hinder our quest for universal human rights.
"What we ought to do is struggle to do better," he said.
Donnelly added he doubts many people -- even those in Asia -- believe they "have too many rights and not enough duties."
He said a large group of "corrupt" and "frequently Westernized" elites in Asia use the language of cultural difference to "rip off" their people.
Felice Gaer, executive director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute in New York City, had opened the discussion panel by saying the "ideas" of human rights have successfully spread throughout the world.
"But the reality is that worldwide, governments still claim different rights -- the rights to be monstrous," she said.
Gaer said "cultural relativists," particularly in Asia, see the human rights declaration as a "Eurocentric world-view."
Some governments contest certain rights and their interpretations, and they argue that community welfare should sometimes be prioritized over individual needs, she said.
"These are objections of leaders of governments -- not the people," Gaer said.
In a debate following the panelists' opening statements, Gaer said evidence that economic development has led to increased human rights is "dubious." In some countries, development has led to "greater repression," she said.
She also said the proposed Universal Declaration of Human Responsibility contradicts the original human rights document.
The responsibility declaration particularly infringes upon human rights in the private sphere, Gaer said.
She cited a statement in the document that calls for "love, loyalty and forgiveness" in marriage and said such a "responsibility" could be used against people such as battered wives.
Gaer said the original rights document instead calls for equality in marriage.
W. Ofuatey-Kodjoe, of the Ralph Bunche Institute on the U.N. and the City University of New York, and Jennifer Jackson Preece, of the European Institute and the London School of Economics and Political Science, also spoke.
The Dickey Center sponsored the discussion. Gene Lyons, senior fellow of the Dickey Center, moderated.
