How cultural relativism hinders the universalism of human rights?
Cultural relativism is the view that concepts and moral values must be understood in
their own cultural context and not judged according to the standards of a different culture.
The implication of cultural relativism is that no one society is superior to another, they are
merely different. Additionally, human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong
to all people regardless of their background or status.
Cultural relativism hinders the universalism of human rights with the example of
infanticide. It is the crime of deliberately killing a newborn. In certain traditional societies
especially in states like India and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), infanticide has been
practiced for the reason of gender. Furthermore, the dowry system in India, where a bride’s
family must provide a gift or money to the groom’s family, puts a lot of financial pressure on
the bride’s family thus one of the reasons for infanticide in India are long standing cultural
practises. Especially since India has to deal with extreme poverty with the emphasis on rural
areas. However we cannot underestimate the general societal opinions about men who are
expected to inherit property and take care of elderly parents whereas females are seen as a
financial burden. In the late 1970s the PRC introduced the now-abandoned one-child policy.
It focused at the reduction of the fertility rate in China. However it also intensified the
preference for boys rather than girls. In both cases daughters were seen as temporary
family members as after marriage they would leave their home, not providing for the family.
Even though infanticide is illegal in both India and China, the enforcement is low and reliable
data on the topic is unavailable. From the liberalist perspective these violations of universal
human rights, in this case the right to life, enable the international institutions to intervene
through international treaties and laws. However, their contribution is minor as the access
to these strongly traditional communities is limited even by their own state. In contrast,
from the realist perspective this should be just the concern of the state as a domestic issue.
Not to be resolved by other states or organizations. In cultural relativism explains the use of
female infanticide which violates the universalism of human rights, in this case the right to
life.
Cultural relativism also hinders the universalism of human rights in the case of
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) precisely in the region of East Africa and the Middle East.
FGM comprises of all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the female
genitalia. The practice is mainly based on cultural religious and social beliefs especially the
rite of passage. It is the belief that the ritual is necessary for a girl’s transition into
womanhood. Additionally, uncut girls can be considered impure or not eligible for marriage.
Some communities falsely believe that. FGM is widely condemned by the international
community especially human rights NGO’s as a violation of the rights of girls and women
including right to health and physical integrity meaning that it can cause severe pain or
bleeding and can be performed without consent. In Somalia, FGM prevalence is over 90%.
Local leaders have resisted bans claiming that international norms cannot override the
traditional culture. It shows the realist perspective as then states act in their self-interest
and place sovereignty and power at the top of their priorities. The issue is viewed as
domestic, even if the practices are brutal, respecting state sovereignty comes first. In this
view, cultural or domestic practices are not the concern of other nations. On the other
hand, organizations such as UNICEF and WHO have launched global campaigns to eradicate
FGM through education and legislative reforms which presents the liberal view in which the
use of education and persuasion is more important than coercion. This is another case in
which cultural values hinder the universalism of human rights, violating the right to health
and the right to physical integrity.
In conclusion, cultural relativism hinders the universalism of human rights as
presented by the examples of infanticide in India and China as well as FGM in Somalia.
Traditions and customs come before human rights thus violating them with the justification
of preserving heritage. The international community has to find a balance that respects
cultural differences but still protects a basic set of rights that belong to all people, no matter
where they were born.