The Universality of Human Rights: A Review

Abstract

The claim that human rights are rights that all human beings hold everywhere and at all times embodies the concept
of universality. There are some that hold a contrary believe. To them, human rights are culturally relative. This paper
explores an understanding of the basic concepts of human rights juxtaposed with the idea of universality and cultural
relativity of human rights. The researchers employ doctrinal method of legal research for this research as materials
are collated from textbooks, case laws, journals and internet sources. In resolving the question of universality or
culturally relativity of human rights the paper discovered that there is a minimum global standard for treating people
by which state laws and practices are to be measured. The paper recommends that far from insisting on uniformity,
the International Bill of rights ought to be the basic yardstick for global diversity. It further recommends that the
content and scope of human rights expands according to the dictates of human experience, and in response to
economic, socio-political, environmental and cultural variables.