The Discourse on Human Rights and the International Regime of Human Rights

Abstract

The international regime of human rights is concerned with the kinds of freedoms, liberties, benefits, autonomy and protection which we are entitled to, and the corresponding obligations that flow from these. The sources, foundation and justifications for these rights and who we are by nature to deserve them have always been controversial, not least because we live in social context which require meeting the requirements of political order, stability, and the general welfare. This paper re-visits some of the contentious positions surrounding the discourse on human rights. The goal is to reveal how the international community navigated when shaping the contours of the regime of human rights. In this regard efforts will be made to cast light on some of the contentious positions that have been endorsed, rejected or avoided by the United Nations. This may make one wonder whether the international regime of human rights follows a clear political ideology.