Democracy doesn't recognize east or west; democracy is simply people's will. Therefore, I do not acknowledge that there are various models of democracy; there is just democracy itself.
Shirin EbadiRead
The idea of cultural relativism is nothing but an excuse to violate human rights.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cultural relativism, when misused, can justify human rights violations.
In this quote, Shirin Ebadi emphasizes that the concept of cultural relativism, which advocates understanding and respecting cultural differences, should not be utilized as a rationale for ignoring or violating the fundamental rights inherent to all human beings. She warns against the potential misuse of this idea to legitimize harmful practices under the guise of cultural tradition, asserting that human rights should be upheld universally.
Themes
Cultural RelativismHuman RightsViolationExcuseEthics
In practice
Example use cases
During a human rights conference, one could use this quote to highlight the dangers of cultural relativism.
More from Shirin Ebadi
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In my memoir, I wanted to introduce American women to Iranian women and our lives. I'm not from the highest echelons of society, nor the lowest. I'm a woman who is a lawyer, who is a professor at a university, who won the Nobel Peace Prize. At the same time, I cook. And even when I'm about to go to prison, one of the first things I do is to make enough food and put it in the fridge for my family.
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My aim is to show that those governments that violate the rights of people by invoking the name of Islam have been misusing Islam.
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No government can make me wear a veil, no government can force me not to wear it either
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We demand a non-violent world where human security is the basis of our common global security. People have the right to live in a world where the basic needs of all peoples are addressed. No more military attacks. No more war.
Shirin EbadiRead
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