Bridging the Gap Between Cultural Relativism and Universality of Human Rights: Indonesia Attitudes

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Published Nov 1, 2020
DOI https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v5i2.39271

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Cekli Setya Pratiwi
The Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University and Law Faculty University of Muhammadiyah Malang
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3848-1113

Abstract

Debates on the universality of human rights and cultural relativism seem to be eternal and will continue to exist as societal dynamics bring different views, concepts, and understandings of human rights and culture. However, it cannot be denied that modern international human rights law which is currently being referred to and adopted by the international community, still creates gaps in the protection of human rights. Meanwhile, the development of cultural relativism in the 20th century is quite successful in bridging the gap between the two and contributing positively to the implementation of international human rights law at the domestic level. Nonetheless, the cultural relativism approach presents critiques and challenges. By using various secondary resources, this paper begins with the concept of, debates between, and challenges of cultural relativism and universality of human rights. The paper indicates that the contribution of cultural relativism can be seen from building tolerance and protection of communal rights, the rights of marginal groups, and the optimization of domestic law when dealing with some competing’s rights. This is a good opportunity to reduce discriminatory actions against marginalized groups for maintaining tolerance and harmony in a plural society. The effectiveness of the application of "margin appreciation" in Europe should be the best practice to actualize "Asian values" or "African values" in formulating the concepts of "public morality" or "public order" clearly and precisely. The cultural relativism approach may not be used by a government to justify any human rights violation. Both of these are important considerations for Indonesia because of its ambiguous attitude in placing these two theories appropriately and purposefully.

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How to Cite
Pratiwi, C. S. (2020). Bridging the Gap Between Cultural Relativism and Universality of Human Rights: Indonesia Attitudes. Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies, 5(2), 449-478. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v5i2.39271
Issue
Vol 5 No 2 (2020): Legal Developments in National and Global Context: Various Contemporary Issues
Section
Review Articles
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Author Biography

Cekli Setya Pratiwi, The Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University and Law Faculty University of Muhammadiyah Malang

Cekli Setya Pratiwi has a Bachelor of Law, Brawijaya University of Malang in Indonesia, an Advocate License, the High Court of Surabaya, and a Master of Laws (LLM), Utrecht University. She is Head of the Legal Office of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) and a senior law lecturer teaching human rights law, international law, and public interest litigation subjects. She recently was a resource for the master level course on Syariah and Human Rights, coordinated by the Center on Religion and Multiculturalism of UMM, the Oslo Coalition on Human Rights – Norway, and the International Center for Law and Religion Studies- BYU-Utah. She participated in “Religion and The Rule of Law,†a certificate training program in Myanmar, Vietnam, Beijing, and Jakarta, and in February 2017, was a speaker in the East Java Training Program sponsored by Surabaya Legal Aid, the Asia Foundation, and USAID. She was a chief researcher on The Judges Verdicts Research, sponsored by the Center for Human Rights Study of Law Faculty of UMM and the National Judicial Commission of Indonesia; a senior researcher on The Doctrinal Research about The Principles of Good Governance in Indonesia; and a researcher on A Socio-Legal Research of Good Governance Principles in Indonesia, both coordinated by the Judicial Support System Program – Supreme Court of Indonesia and the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, and supported by the Van Vollen Hoven Institute, University of Leiden. She has multiple publications on human rights, religion, and law. Her most recent book is The Guidance Book of UNGPs on Business and Human Rights, INFID (2016).

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