# Human Rights and Multiculturalism

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Kiser Barnes, Human Rights and Multiculturalism, Hong Kong: Juxta Publishing Co., 2001, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> BY KISER BARNES
> 
> It is a special privilege to discuss human rights and multiculturalism at the
> first international conference on human rights in Brazil, at a time when the
> wide variety of considerations about principles that shape the law, morality
> and politics of human rights are being explored. As a member of the Bahá’í
> Faith, a worldwide multicultural community which believes that the direction
> of human rights must also be enriched by spiritual principles, my enthusiasm is
> heightened on this occasion. For I share your confidence that a global human
> rights culture is evolving, where, as suggested by Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of
> the Faith, “an equal standard of human rights must be recognized and adopted.”1
> The theme of “multiculturalism” includes the question whether international
> human rights,for example those contained in the Universal Declaration of Hu-
> man Rights and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural
> Rights,are applicable to all societies; or can those rights be differently inter-
> preted and applied by States on the grounds of political, economical, cultural,
> or other differences. Notwithstanding that the recognition of human rights rep-
> resents an attempt to legitimise a set of worldwide, overarching values, the
> universal characteristics of human rights is a large part of the difficulties of
> justifying them in a multicultural world. Although many right measures have
> become a part of international customary law and national positive law, human
> rights claims in general appeal to moral principles. Thus, the concept of human
> rights remains close to the idea of justice.
> The issue has created a great deal of tension between the basic moral force
> of human rights, their increasingly legal nature, and the fundamental principles
> of justice which human rights imply. The discussions have led to a good deal of
> agreement that human rights rest on universal principles of morality, or justice,
> which are open to a process of change. Fortunately, the debate has, as well,
> 
> This paper first presented at the “First International Conference On Human Rights,”
> 14-17 September 1997, Brazilia, Brazil, sponsored by the Brazilian Bar Association
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> further entrenched the doctrine of human rights as a prime philosophical source
> of political and social reform. Moreover, the difficulty has highlighted the rich
> diversity of the human family, which is both its glory and its strength and con-
> clusive evidence of the success with which man has adapted to the diverse
> conditions of his planet.
> Such observations suggest that in a first conference called to discover prac-
> tical measures for strengthening the human rights movement, in the face of the
> monstrosity of “ethnic cleansing”; the horrors of racism; the perverted passions
> of religious animosity; the extermination and marginalization of indigenous
> peoples; the victimization of women; and other symptoms of the disease of
> disunity afflicting mankind, a consideration of guiding principles, found in law,
> and other fields, including religion, that could broaden insight about some ba-
> sic values accepted by a great many cultures and promote the universality of
> human rights principles, would be appropriate.
> Here we approach the heart of the matter. Are there directive principles, in
> addition to those already established in the Universal Declaration of Human
> Rights, other rights instruments, and elsewhere—such as the “dignity of the
> human person,” which might influence perceptions and attitudes about the con-
> ceptual framework and scope of human rights? It appears that reference to the
> principles of the oneness of mankind and unity in diversity—fundamental prin-
> ciples of the Faith—could invigorate the process.
> Thus, an essential reference for my remarks on the challenges connected
> with human rights in a multicultural world, is that:
> 
> The bedrock of a strategy that can engage the world’s population in assuming responsibility
> for its collective destiny must be the consciousness of the oneness of humankind. The
> human species is an organic whole, the leading edge of the evolutionary process …What
> the peoples of the world are experiencing, Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, said
> is their collective coming of age, and it is through this emerging maturity of the race that the
> principle of unity in diversity will find full expression.2
> 
> In this discussion, some issues involved in the challenge of promoting the
> universality of international human rights are addressed. A review of some
> basic values in international instruments which are accepted in a broad sense
> by all peoples is presented, along with a tentative exploration of the relation
> of the Bahá’í principle of the oneness of mankind to human rights. Some practi-
> cal implications connected with the learning principles in relation to the rights
> of indigenous peoples and minority groups are outlined. Comments on the
> merits of an multi-disciplinary approach for fostering human rights, including
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> the role of religion and the importance of human rights education, are also
> presented.
> 
> The Challenge of Universality
> 
> In 1945, the United Nations took a revolutionary step by including human
> rights in Article l of its Charter as one of its basic aims. For the first time human
> rights were elevated to a position of global concern, described by Winston
> Churchill as “the enthronement of human rights.”3 The concept of human rights,
> traditionally known as natural rights or the rights of man, that had been purport-
> edly internationalised, was that a person had human rights simply because he or
> she is a human being. The view of cultural relativism, under the doctrine of
> “multiculturalism,” was inserted into the human rights discourse in 1948, when
> the American Anthropological Association rejected the applicability of any Dec-
> laration of Human Rights to mankind as a whole. Its statement explicitly stressed
> that “the rights of Man … cannot be circumscribed by the standards of any single
> culture, or be dictated by the aspirations of any single people.”4
> From the perspective of relativism, cross-cultural judgments are opposed
> on the grounds that there are no overarching, universal moral truths, or prin-
> ciples, or universal cultural ideals. It has been argued that many human rights
> norms possess a distinctively Western or Judeo-Christian bias, reflecting as-
> sumptions that the values of other cultures, peoples and races are inferior.
> Hence, it is asserted they are ethnocentric. For instance, the notion of universal
> human rights has been opposed in Asia and Africa on the grounds that Western
> notions of human rights are founded on the idea of the personal autonomy of
> individuals, which those cultures do not hold as a fundamental virtue, in contrast
> to communitarian values. Relativists further contend that other cultures have
> virtues of their own, to which their members are held accountable.
> Another argument in favour of cross-cultural relativism, is the view that
> developing states cannot be expected to implement political and civil rights
> fully,as long as they have not reached a level of economic development; these
> states must give priority to economic development, in order to facilitate the
> realization of civil and political rights. The international instruments them-
> selves attach equal weight to both sets of rights. Furthermore, the United Na-
> tions General Assembly and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
> have confirmed that human rights are indivisible, interdependent, and deserve
> the same amount of attention.
> The theory that human rights are relative has gradually lost ground. Cultural
> relativists have found it increasingly difficult to sustain their position. 5 Some
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> have conceded that there are some global values to which all peoples and
> cultures may be held accountable. For example, no culture tolerates indiscrimi-
> nate lying, stealing or violence within the group. The universality of incest
> taboo. A limitation on the number of deaths that might be inflicted in legitimate
> acts of revenge. The universal acceptance of the Golden Rule, a universal prin-
> ciple for human relations, as a fundamental ethical truth.
> Under what has been termed a “Minimal Globalism,” it is thought that the
> concept of human rights is universal but that rights vary among different societ-
> ies.6 The acceptance of particular moral principles and legal entitlements often
> evolve to stages of acceptance and implementation over time. Historical de-
> velopments certainly support the view. For example, religious, racial, sexual
> and ethnic discrimination have been widely practiced but are indefensible
> today. It is generally agreed that “core rights,” such as the right to life, security
> of person, prohibition of discrimination, and freedom of thought, conscience
> and religion are not subject to cultural definitions and applications.
> The view remains compelling that since 1946 when the signatories of the
> United Nations Charter affirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, basi-
> cally on the principle of the dignity and worth of the human person, no state can
> claim that the denial of such rights to its own citizens is solely its own business.
> To this end, in 1993, at the World Congress on Human Rights, the representa-
> tives adopted by concensus the Vienna Declaration, which states of “all human
> rights and fundamental freedoms for all” articulated in the Universal Declara-
> tion of Human Rights and elsewhere: “The universal nature of these rights and
> freedoms is beyond question… Human rights and fundamental freedoms are
> the birthright of all human beings; their protection and promotion is the first
> responsibility of Government.”
> Obviously the guiding principle of the universality of human rights has been
> subject to the exigencies of special political interests; for the human rights
> movement is not inseparable from the political process. Yet, it is plain that a
> broader acceptance of the universality of rights, limiting what a state may do to
> its citizens, seems to be precisely what the political problems of our age ur-
> gently require. The world has undoubtedly gained a great deal from the fact
> that since the acceptance of the Universal Declaration efforts for the imple-
> mentation of basic human rights have become increasingly a feature of interna-
> tional relations, conventions and diplomacy. The massive violations prove,
> however, a cynical disregard of its principles on the part of some governments.
> There are still innumerable persons oppressed who have not yet felt the ben-
> efits of the principle of universality.
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> For my part, I am delighted to say that as early as 1947, the Bahá’í Faith, in a
> written presentation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, of-
> fered its support for an international system of human rights.7 The perspective
> of the Faith regarding the principles of the oneness of humankind and unity in
> diversity was presented. Subsequently, the Bahá’í International Community has
> consistently shared the merits of this fundamental ideal. The following is a
> representative statement:
> 
> The goal of the international community is to build a world family of nations, whose
> members have equal rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities, and share a dedication
> to peace and to the upholding of a common set of human values; to create a global society
> which protects the human rights of every member, respect his dignity and individuality,
> and provides for the full development of his potential, so that he may be of service to his
> fellow human beings and make his contribution toward the building of an ever-advancing
> civilization.8
> 
> More recently, the Statement of the Bahá’í International Community, Turning
> Point For All Nations, presented on the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of
> the United Nations, offers new ways of thinking about human rights, within the
> broad context of the evolution of an integrated global society. “The way has
> been cleared for new definitions of human rights and affirmation of personal
> dignity,” it states, and that “ new levels of consciousness have been reached on
> global programs to promote… human rights…” 9
> Accordingly, it is highly encouraging, that from the universality relativity
> discussions powerful insight has emerged about our rich diversity of cultures,
> and some specific features of African, Asian, and indigenous cultures, to men-
> tion only a few. A deeper appreciation has thus been established for the global
> moral imperatives in the holy scriptures of the world religions, which are the
> root-genesis of the spiritual values found in human rights instruments. A broader
> awareness has developed, given the evolutionary nature of human rights, that
> different cultural traditions may contribute positively by raising new areas of
> concern, adding more rights, and generally informing the movement with addi-
> tional values.
> 
> The Oneness of Mankind as a Normative Concept
> 
> I turn now to a consideration of the possible advantages the principles of
> the oneness of mankind may hold for the ideal of human rights. The legal in-
> struments and the literature on human rights demonstrate the critical role that
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> principles have played, and are playing, in the search for a world view that
> would support a viable foundation for human rights. References to such moral
> principles, or basic values, as human dignity and non-discrimination are in a
> great number of legal instruments. The description of the moral values are
> expressed variously as human rights “principles,” “universal principles,” “ide-
> als,” “values,” “concepts,””goals,” “fundamentals,””norms,” “axioms,” “standards,”and
> “utilities.” Of course, the merit of these normative concepts is that they do not
> offer a detailed statement of vision,or scope, or practical measures for imple-
> mentation. They provide a dynamic, a perspective,and a will for achieving the
> undertaking. They influence perceptions and attitudes, which invigorates the
> process of the evolution and implementation of human rights.
> Suffice it to recall, as well, that many international human rights instruments
> declare that their contents are based on “ the principles proclaimed in the
> Charter of the United Nations.”10 Many affirm, “the principles of the Universal
> Declaration of Human Rights”11, which was put forward principally as a state-
> ment of ideals, elaborating “classical principles.” Other Covenants are based
> on “respect for the principle of equal rights… universal respect for, and obser-
> vance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as
> to race, sex, language or religion” 12; “the principle of the dignity and equality
> of all human beings”13; “the principle of non-discrimination” 14; “the principle of
> equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value”15;
> the “Declaration of Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary”16;
> and the “Declaration on Social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection
> and Welfare of Children…”17
> The universal principle of the “dignity of the human person” occupies a
> prominent position. It appears in the Preamble of the United Nations Charter
> as an ideal that “we the peoples of the United Nations” are “determined” to
> achieve. It is included in the first Article of the Universal Declaration of Hu-
> man Rights, as well as, in the other documents constituting the International Bill
> of Human Rights, in various resolutions and declarations of international bod-
> ies, and in national constitutions. It has acquired such approbation that it is in-
> voked widely as a legal and moral ground for championing human rights. Indeed,
> it has been described as the “supreme ethical principle,” the “emancipatory
> principle underlying human rights.”
> All I have expressed, thus far, demonstrates that principles have far-reach-
> ing implications. Before proceeding further in this direction, however, I am
> sensible that lawyers often prefer discussions that give specificity to the con-
> cept of legal rights and duties, and the implementation and realization of rec-
> ognized rights. More often than not, the discussions are technical rather than
> ethical in character. The view is still heard that positive law, in contrast to
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> moral values or moral law, is the only law which it is worth thinking about.
> However, it is thought that lawyers and legal postivism might serve to make the
> public more conscious of what morality is. In this regard, I remind you that Law
> Faculties around the world were the first to study the doctrine of human rights
> in an objective manner.
> Inquiries concerning principles of human rights are intimately connected
> with the jurisprudential search for the ultimate values of legal ordering. It is
> generally accepted that the source of justice is in the law, and that one cannot
> talk for long about law without entering into the realm of value. It is intimately
> linked with justice, and in its entirety is seen as a system of justice. The human
> rights field, in particular, offers golden opportunities for connecting the rise
> of a value-oriented jurisprudence, not only on the premise of a revival of
> natural law philosophy, if you wish, but by reference to certain spiritual and
> evolutionary forces which are pushing law forward towards a field, which might
> be termed, “Law and the Oneness of Humankind.” It is in this direction that law
> and lawyers, as servants of justice, would develop more capacity to serve a
> unified world.
> I am also aware that the term ‘principle’ in the Declarations and Conven-
> tions, and elsewhere, seems to have lost much of its sense of an ontological
> source for practical, effective programs of action. In many instances the call for
> a radical approach based on principle, or a decision, or a course of action based
> on principle, is taken to suggest the notion of a static proposition or the pursuit
> of expediencies of national, ethnic, or local interests. Moreover, following the
> recent unleashing of deep-seated hatred, which has given way to the recur-
> rence of that monstrous spirit of “ethnic cleansing” in the former Yugoslavia and
> Rwanda, it might be thought that a return to what may seem so slight a thing as
> principles to animate the human rights movement misconceives the depth of
> the suspicions and fears and cynicalism , neopragmatism, and disunity afflicting
> mankind. However, the place and role of principles is undoubtedly part of the
> process of the evolving consciousness for new ways of thinking and express-
> ing committment that must be had in the human rights movement.
> Thus, it is extremely heartening that in the face of chronic disillusionment
> over religious extremism, racism, poverty, hunger, and violent atrocities, Mary
> Robinson, President of Ireland, who will soon take up the appointment as the
> United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the position of Gen-
> eral Reporter at the Council of Europe’s Preparatory Meeting for the 1993
> World Conference on Human Rights, raised an urgent call for a return to prin-
> ciples in this striking manner: “…I share with you a firm and tested belief in
> the power of ideas…”19 In the same manner, Ervin Laszlo, one of the foremost
> exponents of systems philosophy, a member of the prestigious Club of Rome
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> and Rector of the Vienna Academy for the Study of the Future, declared: “We
> have all forgotten the importance and power of postive ideas and images of the
> future. We look upon the few remaining visionaries of a better world as naive
> optimists or harmless fools. Our societies suffer from an overdose of pragma-
> tism combined with generalized but vague pessimism.”20
> Approaches based on principles are in sharp contrast to the views heard in
> influential quarters that belief in the power of ideas, or principles, or a re-
> statement of human values in relation to human rights, is utopian and a danger-
> ous impediment to effective political action for human rights formulation and
> implementation. 21 And how far has the human rights movement advanced from
> those dark days when Jeremy Bentham objected to any declarations of the rights
> of man as empty “rhetorical utterances”22 and Edmund Burke asserted that the
> sponsors of the French Declaration of the Rights of Man had done great social
> harm by proclaiming, what he called, the “monstrous fiction” of human equal-
> ity.23 The great international jurist, Judge Lauterpacht, once wrote of human rights:
> “Inasmuch as… they are an expression of moral claims, they are a powerful
> lever of legal reform. The moral claims of today are often the legal rights of
> tomorrow.”24 And if the position of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa is true that men
> of action are mobilized to action by the power of principles,25 then thinking
> about the nexus of universal standards to human rights is a serious undertaking.
> Particularly, when it is generally agreed that the inherent dignity of the human
> person is a primary normative standard of human rights. Although what is meant
> by “inherent worth,” or “inherent dignity” or “sacred nature” of the human per-
> son has not been universally agreed upon.
> I am not suggesting here that the noble value—the inherent dignity of the
> human person—requires a universally agreed upon definition in general terms.
> However, analysis and detailed clarifications about its meaning might reduce
> specious use of the concept and broaden the impressive number of specific
> implications for relevant conduct that could be drawn from the principle. I
> agree with Alan Cranston that:
> 
> There is a connection between human rights being universal and their formulation being
> generalised and wide. The basic general principle of morality are minimal precisely be-
> cause they are universal. Human rights rests on universal principles, but the precise moral
> rights of men in some communities differ from the precise moral rights of men in other
> communities, and this is one reason why the formulation of human rights cannot be at the
> same time closely detailed and of universal application.26
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> A considerable number of the features, implications, and practical require-
> ments associated with the principles concerning the unification of mankind are
> outlined in the Bahá’í Writings. In support of the view that the principle of
> unity in diversity would complement those notable principles which have thus
> far animated the human rights movement, I would point out that in the scriptures
> of the Bahá’í Faith, the dignity of the human person has also been extolled:
> 
> Man,[is] the noblest and most perfect of all created things,”27 ; “Lofty is the station of
> man!… His is the loftiest station, and his influence educateth the world of being.” 28;”Regard
> man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value.” 29 “It ill beseemeth the station of man to
> commit tyranny; rather it behoveth him to observe equity and be attired with the raiment
> of justice under all conditions.” 30 “Were man to appreciate the greatness of his station and
> the loftiness of his destiny he would manifest naught save goodly character, pure deeds
> and a seemly and praiseworthy conduct.” 31
> 
> As you know, the term ‘principle’ is derived from the Latin word ‘principium’.
> It is compounded of the words primus, meaning first or chief, and cipium, mean-
> ing ‘to take’. Thus, a ‘principle’ is that controlling factor in human undertakings
> which must be considered first. It is first or chief among other factors, the
> primary source, or underlying faculty of an endeavour, upon which practical
> decisions and actions may follow. One of the functions is that principles indi-
> cate new approaches which ought to be taken.
> Consistently, then, with a belief in the power of directive principles, the
> Bahá’í Faith, since its birth in 1844, has called upon the peoples of the world to
> explore the principle of the oneness of mankind. In a major statement on the
> function of principles in facilitating major world undertakings, the Universal
> House of Justice, the highest International Administrative Body of the Bahá’í
> Faith at Haifa, Israel, wrote:
> 
> There are spiritual principles, or what some call human values, by which solutions can be
> found for every social problem. Any well-intentioned group can in a general sense devise
> practical solutions to its problems, but good intentions and practical knowledge are usually
> not enough. The essential merit of spiritual principle is that it not only presents a perspec-
> tive which harmonizes with that which is immanent in human nature, it also induces an
> attitude, a dynamic, a will, an aspiration, which facilitate the discovery and implementa-
> tion of practical measures. Leaders of governments and all in authority would be well
> served in their efforts to solve problems if they would first seek to identify the principles
> involved and then be guided by them.32
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> Here, then is an empowering principle—the oneness of mankind—repre-
> senting, from the perspective of the Bahá’í Faith “the consummation of human
> evolution,” which, may be promoted in concert with the basic value, the inher-
> ent dignity of the human person, and other noble principles, that have quick-
> ened the human rights movement. As a further step in this direction, I shall next
> suggest some practical implications of the principle that are not only compat-
> ible with the ideas of the inherent dignity and worth of human persons, but
> would serve to enrich these concepts, and others, which are basically linked
> with the idea of justice and equity, which the human rights movement implies.
> The following, most of which has been compiled from the Bahá’í Scriptures or
> statements presented by the United Nations Office of the Bahá’í International
> Community, also includes a few specific practical points concerning indigenous
> people, minorities and human rights education.
> - First of all, the Bahá’í Writings emphasise that this noble principle is “
> no… mere outburst of… emotionalism or an expression of vague and
> pious hope… [nor] to be merely identified with a reawakening of the
> spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men… It implies an organic
> change in the structure of present-day society… It constitutes a challenge,
> at once bold and universal, to outworm shibboleths of national creeds…
> It calls for no less than the reconstruction… of the civilized world—a
> world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its po-
> litical machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script
> and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteris-
> tics of its federated units.”33
> - The conception is “primarily directed against all forms of provincialism,
> all insularities and prejudices… social assumptions and religious for-
> mulae [that] have ceased to promote the welfare of the generality of
> mankind… [and] no longer minister to the needs of a continually evolv-
> ing humanity.”34
> - “…recognition of the oneness of humanity, appreciation of unity in di-
> versity, and a sense of citizenship in a world community will be the best
> guarantee of improved human rights in the years to come…”35
> - “…responsibility for ensuring equal rights for minorities falls on both
> majorities and minorities. Majorities have a special responsibility, for
> the sake of justice, to bring about the social and political adjustments
> which will enable minorities to exercise… their common and funda-
> mental rights… Both must view minority issues in the context of an in-
> creasingly interdependent world… Attitudes must change. There must
> be a shift in the view of majorities towards oppressed minorities, and
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> minorities must be freed from the sense of helplessness induced by
> prolonged discrimination… The challenge of changing attitudes… is not
> entirely within the ability of government to meet, as it calls for the influ-
> ence of spiritual and moral principle… the principle which must govern
> any consideration of minority rights is the oneness of humanity… the
> diversity of the human family must be recognized as a source of enrich-
> ment rather than as a threat.”36
> - “Unity in diversity is at once a vision for the future and a principle to
> guide the world community. Not only must this principle come to ani-
> mate relations among the nations… but it must also be applied within
> both local and national communities, if they are to prosper and endure.
> The unifying, salutary effects of applying this principle… would be in-
> calculable.”37
> - “…education is indispensable to the realization of human rights. Educa-
> tion which instills in hearts and minds an awareness of and sensitivity to
> human rights of all persons constitutes… an essential tool for the promo-
> tion and implementation of international human rights standards… [It]
> should constitute a comprehensive life-long process by which people at
> all levels of development and in all strata of society learn respect for
> the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect
> in all societies… Human rights eduation, if it is to succeed, must seek to
> transform individual attitudes and behavior and thereby establish… a
> new “culture” of respect for human rights. Only such a change in the fun-
> damental social outlook of every individual… can bring about the uni-
> versal observance of human rights principles… Accordingly, it is essential
> to touch the heart… Such education, moreover, must help to instill in
> every individual a keen, emotionally grounded awareness of the funda-
> mental unity of humankind. As people begin to see each other as mem-
> bers of one human family, they will become willing to discard negative
> learned stereotypes and begin to see people of other ethnic groups,
> nationalities, classes and religious beliefs as potential friends rather
> than as threats or enemies… Bahá’í communities… are already both pro-
> moting and providing education, based on the the principle of the one-
> ness of humanity, which seeks to cultivate respect for the rights of others,
> a sense of responsibility for the well-being of the human family, and the
> moral attributes that contribute to a just, harmonious and peaceful world
> civilization.”38
> - “Moral qualities, sometimes referred to as spiritual qualities or human
> values, are the building blocks of human personality… The full power
> of these fundamental qualities can be released… only when they are
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> acquired in the context of an understanding of the oneness of humanity
> and with attention to their application in action for the betterment of
> society as a whole. Indeed, unless applied universally and in action, these
> qualities can easily become little more than slogans, at times degenerat-
> ing even to become excuses for prejudice and injustice… Moral educa-
> tion centered on an understanding of the essential oneness of humankind
> and applied on a universal basis constitutes an indispensable foundation
> for the universal respect for human rights.”39
> - The gradual recognition of indigenous peoples and minority groups is a
> pronounced example of how the dynamic concept of the principle of
> human rights is moving with the forces of history and oneness. Efforts for
> recognizing and protecting indigenous rights must be seen in a global
> context. No people should be set apart from the whole of mankind. The
> theme of oneness of mankind certainly includes the growing sense of
> the moral responsibility of humanity as a whole for indigenous peoples.
> The perpetuation of the cultural characteristics of peoples should be
> viewed as an expression of unity in diversity, which enriches the tapes-
> try of human life. Often difficulties arise not because groups do not de-
> sire the development of their members and their natural resources, but
> because they are not consulted and do not reap the benefits of develop-
> ment projects. Human rights programs,and other programs,should instill
> in all people a sense of their worth as actual and potential co-builders of
> a world civilization, as channelled through cultural perspectives, which
> could enrich the entire fabric of civilized society.
> - If affirmative action programs are advisable, the concept would give a
> larger vision of unity and oneness and that the initiative involves more
> than remedying past injustice. It would assist in approaching the more
> important question of how social unity among diverse groups can be best
> advanced. Such programs might assist in establishing a perspective, as
> practiced in the Bahá’í Faith, if there is any discrimination it should be in
> favor of the minority.
> It may be seen in these statements that the principles of the oneness of
> mankind and unity in diversity could foster the adherence to values, such as
> unity, justice and consciousness of world citizenship. They would provide a
> framework upon which a new vision, new commitment and a new pardigm of
> unity can be constructed.
> Of course, from the declaration of principles to their implementation, there
> is certainly a long and difficult road. Yet,the formal international recognition of
> global human rights has not only strengthened the struggle for international
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> justice, but increased awareness that change is a gradual process, requiring posi-
> tive interactions of consultations and a broadening of vision. Still, it is readily
> acknowledged that the principles in international and regional human rights
> documents have influenced the content and practice of governments. The world
> has learned that the adoption of general standards formulated in terms of le-
> gally and morally binding treaties do not automatically transform into state prac-
> tice. The era of universally accepted human rights points the way forward for
> concensus on binding values and irrevocable standards. The advantages of the
> principle of the oneness of mankind and unity in diversity might be explored,
> not as a detailed declaration of action, but as a help and support for those look-
> ing for direction, orientation and meaning of the larger purpose of human rights.
> Finally, the universality of human rights needs to be viewed in context of an
> emergent unity paradigm, supported by the complementarity of religious, le-
> gal and other social perspectives. From a human rights perspective, conscious
> unification on a planetary scale is the process appropriate to humanity’s matu-
> rity and growing capacity. And from this perspective, it is also clear that the
> international code of human rights has a clear bias in favour of the kind of
> society that displays a specific coherent set of spiritual values; tolerance of
> diversity; plurality of belief, ideas and cultures, reasonableness and rational-
> ity; the peaceful resolution of conflict under the rule of law; and, above all,
> respect for the dignity and integrity of every single one of its individual mem-
> bers.
> Directly related to the topic of universality of rights is the emotional and
> difficult concern that support for the human rights for all, within a rigid “us” and
> “them” dichotomy, would compromise or destroy that loyalty all of us cherish
> for family, peoples and nation. In support of a radical new and far more dy-
> namic approach to culture in the area of human rights, the Bahá’í Writings state:
> 
> Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing foundations of society, it [the oneness of
> mankind] seeks to broaden its basis, to remould its institutions in a manner consonant with
> the needs of an ever-changing world. It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can
> it undermine essential loyalties… It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the
> diversity of ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and
> habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. It calls for a wider loyalty, for
> larger aspiration than any that has animated the human race. It insists upon the subordina-
> tion of national impulse and interests to the imperative claims of a unified world… Its
> watchword is unity in diversity.40
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> A Multi-disciplinary Approach
> 
> The broad and inherent multi-disciplinary nature of human rights concerns
> and the requirement for the interaction of numerous programs of action are
> sometimes difficult for lawyers and legislators to accept. The language which
> human rights are formulated is primarily the language of law, but the combined
> forces of political, legal, religious and moral influences must be employed.
> Laws are insufficient alone to create a just global society. Promotion of a multi-
> disciplinary approach would greatly assist in raising the discussions to the level
> of principles.
> It is becoming clearer that the root source of the problems of abuses of
> power, prejudices, and disunity have their origin in the malfunctioning of the
> human spirit. Thus, the legal rationality of human rights, though essential, is not
> a sufficient basis for the resolution of deep-seated prejudices and disunity.
> The challenge of changing attitudes is not entirely within the ability of the legal
> system and governments to meet. This does not suggest that the law has no
> deterrent or educative effects. It is only to suggest that changing the bad laws or
> introducing laws prohibiting certain activities is only a partial solution of the
> problem.
> This may involve ensuring that a greater number from minority groups be-
> come members of the legal profession. It may also involve increasing under-
> standing that governments have a peculiar interest in ensuring that human rights
> measures are enforced. The use of public agencies to promote and enforce
> human rights legislation should be encouraged. Victims of discrimination usu-
> ally do not seek legal redress individually, either because they are not aware
> of the steps to take, or because such redress is disproportionately
> expensive.Thus, reliance on law enforcement by public agencies and private
> organisations is therefore likely to be very great. The operation of public
> human rights agencies should be seen as the enforcement of constitutional or
> particular provisions in the public interest on behalf of the community as a
> whole.
> It is now well understood that a considerable amount of bias is either so
> covert, entrenched, institutionalised and systemic that the anti-cultural, or rac-
> ist, or sexist practices, policies or rules appear neutral on their face, i.e., non-
> discriminatory and reasonable. In such circumstances experience and expertise
> are essential to detect the discriminatory operation, impact and effect of the
> prejudice and ferret it out. Well-trained human rights workers with a public
> agency can accumulate sufficient experience to uncover the discriminatory prac-
> tice. The staff soon acquires the necessary expertise to recognize the subtle
> and insidious forms that discrimination and disunity take and the agency itself
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> becomes a clearing house for authoritative information on the problems of
> protected groups. The enforcement of the law by a state agency also educates
> the community both as to the law itself and on the importance accorded the state
> to the elimination of prejudice.
> 
> Conclusion
> 
> It is to the credit of the organizers of this conferences that the participation
> from religious organizations has been so prominent. It is undoubtedly a major
> part of a multi-disciplinary approach that human rights promotion must be a
> meeting point for different religions. Historically, the religions of the world
> have been a fertile source of moral and ethical principles and practices. It
> appears that more and more critical thinkers are realizing that the contents and
> direction of human rights,in a contracting world community,must be enriched
> by spiritual principles and priorities.
> The Scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith not only envisage a society in which the
> basic human rights and needs of each of its members can be met, but affirm that
> religion is the chief instrument, “for the establishment of order in the world
> and of the tranquility amongst all its people.” The holy scriptures have offered
> a progressive vision of a fundamental global transformation that embodies a
> new set of principles for understanding and guiding humanity’s relationships.
> Accordingly, there can be no question of the importance of religion as a source
> of moral values and principles and perspectives for the universalization of
> human rights values.
> I have focussed on human rights principles because it seems important in a
> first conference on human rights to illustrate that principles are the means by
> which the law lives, grows, and demonstrates that it is not a mere collection of
> rules. Through the medium of principles, law, and in particular human rights
> concerns, we can draw nourishment from religion and from other fields. As I
> indicated earlier, only after World War II, a brief span of time in mankind’s
> evolution, has there been a sustained effort to formulate the substance of what
> is now called human rights into principles of a global scope. Thus, given the
> dynamic and evolutionary nature of human rights, this subject lends itself di-
> rectly to the view that the human rights movement needs to be viewed from a
> perspective that conscious unification on a planetary scale is the process appro-
> priate to humanity’s maturity and growing capacity for integration.
> As a fundamental tenet of their religion, Bahá’ís are committed to the eradi-
> cation of all forms of prejudice, including those based on race, ethnic origin,
> religion, sex or nationality. Believers are striving to build in Brazil, and com-
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> munities around the globe, those new conditions of unity conducive to the uni-
> versal enjoyment of rights and responsibilities, which the golden future of
> human rights in a multicultural world holds.
> 
> Footnotes
> 
> 1  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1982). The Promulgation of Universal Peace . Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust.
> p. 182.
> 2 Bahá’í International Community (1997). The Bahá’í World 1995-96. Haifa, Israel: World Centre
> Publications. pp. 289, 290; From a statement presented by the Bahá’í International Community,
> at the 47th Session of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of
> Minorities, Geneva, 31 July to 25 August 1995.
> 3 Cranston, Maurice (1973). What are Human Rights. New York: Taplinger Publishing Co. Inc. p. 3.
> 4 Ann-Belinda S. Preis (1996). Human Rights as Cultural Practice: An Anthropological Critique.
> Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 18. p. 287.
> 5 Etzioni, Amitai (1997). The End of Cross-Cultural Relativism. Alternatives, vol. 22. p. 177.
> 6 ibid. p.180.
> 7 Entitled, “A Bahá’í Declaration of Human Obligations and Rights.”
> 8 From a statement presented by the Bahá’í International Community submitted to the Workgroup
> on Social and Cultural Dimensions of Development at the 33rd Session of the Sub-Commission
> on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, Geneva, 26 August 1980.
> 9 Bahá’í International Community (1995). Turning Point For All Nations. New York: Bahá’í Interna-
> tional Community United Nations Office. pp. 1, 3. A significant portion of the document deals
> with the subject. See the sections: Protecting Fundamental Human Rights, p. 16; Strengthening the
> Machinery of the UN for Monitoring, Implementation and Follow-Up, p. 17; Encouraging Universal
> Ratification of International Conventions On Human Rights, p. 17; Assuring Respect for the Monitoring
> Organs Of The UN Involved In Human Rights, p. 18; Advancing the Status of Women, p. 18.
> 10 See for instance, Preamble, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
> 11 The Proclamation of Teheran, proclaimed by the International Conference on Human Rights at
> Teheran on 13 May 1968.
> 12 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, General
> Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960.
> 13 Preamble, Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
> 14 Preamble, Convention against Discrimination in Education.
> 15 Preamble, Equal Remuneration Convention.
> 16 Adopted in 1985 and endorsed by General Assembly resolution 40/32, December 1985.
> 17 Declaration on Social and Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children,
> with Special Reference to Foster Placement and Adoption Nationally and Internationally, adopted
> by General Assembly resolution 41/85, 3 December 1986.
> 18 Bielefeldt, Heiner (Spring 1994). Human Rights in a Multicultural World. Paper delivered to the
> Law Faculty, University of Toronto.
> 19 Robinson, Mary (1993). Human Rights as the Dawn of the 21st Century. 15 Human Rights Quarterly
> 629. p. 630.
> 
> BAHÁ’Í-INSPIRED PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
> Human Rights and Multiculturalism
> 
> 20 Laszlo, Ervin (1989). The Inner Limits of Mankind. London: One World Publications Ltd. p. 59.
> 21 Donelly, John (1989). Universal Human Rights in Theory & Practice . Ithica, NY: Cornell Univer-
> sity Press. p. 6.
> 22 Cranston, p. 14.
> 23 ibid. p. 15.
> 24 ibid. p. 82.
> 25 Oputa, Chukwudifu Akunne (1989). Human Rights in the Political and Legal Culture of Nigeria.
> Lagos, Nigeria: Nigerian Law Publications Ltd. p. 38.
> 26 Cranston, op. cit. p. 81.
> 27 Bahá’u’lláh (1976). Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust. p. 179.
> 28 Bahá’u’lláh (1979). Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. Haifa, Israel: Bahá’í World Centre. p. 220.
> 29 Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings. p. 260.
> 30 Bahá’u’lláh. Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh. p. 170.
> 31 ibid. p. 172.
> 32 Universal House of Justice (1985). The Promise of World Peace . Haifa, Israel: World Centre
> Publications. p. 13.
> 33 Shoghi Effendi (1980). World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust. p. 43.
> 34 ibid. 42.
> 35 Bahá’í International Community (March 1997). Statement to the 53rd Session of the UN Commission
> on Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland. p. 3.
> 36 Bahá’í International Community (August 1994). Statement to the United Nations Sub-Commission on
> Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, Geneva, Switzerland.
> 37 Bahá’í International Community. Sustainable Communities in an Integrating World. p. 3. Based on
> a concept paper shared at the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements
> (Habitat II), Istanbul, Turkey, 3-4 June 1996.
> 38 Bahá’í International Community (March 1996). Statement on the United Nations Decade for Human
> Rights Education, submitted to the UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland.
> 39 (23 April 1996). Joint Non-Governmental Organization Statement to the 52nd Session of the United
> Nations Commission on Human Rights, offered by the Bahá’í International Community, on behalf
> of thirty-four non-governmental organizations, Geneva, Switzerland. p. 4.
> 40 Shoghi Effendi, p. 41 .
>
> — *Human Rights and Multiculturalism (Used by permission of the curator)*