[hr-education] Re: Training of HRE teachers at primary school level

With all humility also, I do believe that there are substantive
differences in perception, in weltanschauung, as it were, between those
whose native culture is individualistic and those who emerge from
collective cultures. Nor am I arguing for statism in any environment.
However despite human rights law, the last 50 years have seen more damage
and destruction to humans and non humans on this planet that any other
1000 years of human history.  While human rights discourse may be (and I
do believe it is) a valuable and useful tool in the service of peoples,
let us not enshrine it to the status of an icon.  Nor is it the only such
set of law, ethics or values in this world.

Certainly I am not advocating the use of FGM as it is practiced.
However, I believe that humility also means recognizing that no matter how
much we know or think we know there is even more to learn.  Human rights
is a progressive discourse and we must not close our minds lest we fall
into the traps of pride.  That is my only assertion apart from refraining
from judging individuals by theories no matter how respected or elevated
the latter.  I prefer a benchmark of compassion to justice and if that
disqualifies me so be it.

Anna Pinto



On 12 Oct 2004, Shula Koenig wrote:

>
> We cannot "take out" the human rights to food because someone does not
> agree with it (indeed young people must develop critical thinking about
> global capitalism...).
>
> The five basic needs: education, food, housing, health and work at livable
> wages must be communicated and asserted as an integral part --
> "indivisibility" as part of the journey of discovery and wisdom.
>
> Same about individual and collective --group-- human rights. There is no
> conflict between then as human rights is being in community in dignity!
> The issue of individual and community human rights are a meter of legal
> discourse, but not in reality of people's lives. (Most human rights
> experts will not agree with me.)  We must realize clearly: if a community
> enforces its will on the individual and violates hers/his human rights it
> is indeed fascism! -- and if an individual forces its will on the will of
> the community as a group that searches for its common wisdom, it is
> authoritarianism (when culture comes into play, it can not violate human
> rights -- such as the issue of FGM) -- affirming the sanctity of life of
> both women and men is the premise from which all our aspiration for human
> rights must grow.
>
> This is the discussion that we must have.
<snip>
>




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