Overview
- Contributes to dialogue on universal human rights values in Asia on the 70th anniversary year of the UDHR
- Argues that the values of the UDHR are Asian values
- Illustrates the strong contributions of Asians to the drafting of the UDHR
- Capacitates Asian civil society to argue for universal values with assurance
- Based on the official UN records of the drafting of the UDHR
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Asia
- Human Rights in Asia
- Human Rights in Southeast Asia
- ASEAN and Human Rights
- Universal Human Rights Values
- 70th anniversary of the UDHR
- 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Asian Civil Society and the Universal Declaration
- Asian Drafters & Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Asian Foundations of UDHR
- Principle of Humanity & UDHR
- Dignity and Equitable Life Chances & UDHR
- Equality and Non-Discrimination & UDHR
About this book
Reviews
“The values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are very much Asian values – at a time when the post-World War II liberal international order is in retreat and Asia ascends to global prominence, this book offers a timely reminder that the region played a pivotal role in the articulation of the 1948 document. By meticulously unearthing and interpreting documentary and other evidence, Ramcharan and Ramcharan bring to life the vision, charisma and influence of Charles Malik (Lebanon), P.C. Chang (China) and their Asian colleagues felt throughout the declaration’s drafting history. Their travails not only refute conventional wisdom that the Universal Declaration was a Western instrument imposed on Asia against its will; they also reaffirm Asia’s substantial ownership and stakes in its genesis. This provides a welcome counterpoint to the resurgent relativist discourse that questions the universality of modern human rights in what is often touted as an “Asia-Pacific Century.” States in the region have far more than merely a lip service to perform at their periodic reviews before the UN Human Rights Council.” (Nobuo Hayashi, PhD,LLM, Visiting Lecturer, UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute)
Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Bertrand Ramcharan served as High Commissioner for Human Rights 2003-2004, following the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello in August 2003. Over his three decades with the UN, he served, inter alia, as Special Assistant to the Director of the Centre for Human Rights. He held many senior positions including Chief Speechwriter of the UN Secretary-General, Director of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in UNPROFOR, Director of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia, political adviser to the peace negotiators in the Yugoslav conflict, and Director in the United Nations Political Department, focusing on conflicts in Africa. He has been Professor of Human Rights at the Geneva Graduate Institute and Chancellor of the University of Guyana.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Asia and the Drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Authors: Robin Ramcharan, Bertrand Ramcharan
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2104-7
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Singapore
eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2019
Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-13-2103-0Published: 29 November 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-981-13-2104-7Published: 19 November 2018
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIX, 255
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations
Topics: International Organization, Human Rights, Social Justice, Equality and Human Rights