Between global consensus and local deviation: a critical approach on the universality of human rights, regional human rights systems, and cultural diversity

Authors

  • Flávia Saldanha Kroetz University of Oxford

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/rinc.v3i1.45109

Keywords:

human rights, universality, cultural diversity, regional systems, global system

Abstract

The global human rights regime, rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, nurtures a relatively uncontroversial consensus when it comes to the core principles and ideals of individual dignity and equality that stem from International Human Rights Law. Nonetheless, despite the longstanding and well-known debate concerning universalism versus cultural relativism, there still exists a thin and rather complex line between the universality of human rights on the one hand, and the respect for local practices and traditions on the other hand. This tension is further translated into the coexistence and overlapping between the universal and the regional systems for the protection of human rights, notably because the latter reflects an attempt to strengthen the protection of basic rights while underlining regional characteristics and common values shared by certain States, as opposed to an overarching, central scheme accused of overlooking the features of each region. Against this background, this brief research explores and, ultimately, rejects the claim that regional human rights systems hinder the successful protection and promotion of human rights at the regional level and undermine the effectiveness of the United Nations system.

Author Biography

Flávia Saldanha Kroetz, University of Oxford

• Professor Adjunto de Direito Constitucional e Direito Administrativo da Universidade Federal do Paraná

• Professor de Direito Constitucional e Direito Administrativo do Curso de Graduação e do Programa de Mestrado e Doutorado em Direito da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná

• Doutor em Direito do Estado e Mestre em Direito do Estado pela Universidade Federal do Paraná

• Coordenador do Curso de Pós-Graduação em Direito Administrativo do Instituto de Direito Romeu Felipe Bacellar

• Diretor Acadêmico do NINC - Núcleo de Investigações Constitucionais do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Direito da UFPR

• Editor Acadêmico responsável da A&C - Revista de Direito Administrativo & Constitucional (ISSN 1516-3210) - Qualis A1 (Área de Direito/CAPES)

• Coordenador Editorial da Revista de Investigações Constitucionais (ISSN 2359-5639)

• Coordenador Editorial da Revista Eurolatinoamericana de Derecho Administrativo (ISSN 2362-583X)

• Co-Editor da Revista de Direito Econômico e Socioambiental (ISSN 2179-8214)

• Autor dos livros "Princípio constitucional da supremacia do interesse público" (2011) e "Mandado de injunção e direitos fundamentais" (2012), ambos publicados pela Editora Fórum

• Coordenador Executivo, pelo Brasil, da Rede Docente Eurolatinoamericana de Direito Administrativo

• Membro do Foro Iberoamericano de Derecho Administrativo, da Asociación de Derecho Público del Mercosur, da International Public Law Society e do Instituto Paranaense de Direito Administrativo

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How to Cite

KROETZ, Flávia Saldanha. Between global consensus and local deviation: a critical approach on the universality of human rights, regional human rights systems, and cultural diversity. Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, [S. l.], v. 3, n. 1, p. 43–58, 2016. DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v3i1.45109. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufpr.br/rinc/article/view/45109. Acesso em: 25 dec. 2025.

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2016): January/April

Section

Original articles

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