Human Rights, Asian Perspectives On

Scholars frequently argue that human rights have a distinctive origin in Western philosophies and political experiences, which are grounded in concepts of fundamental rights and the equality of all human beings. Universality is inherent in the concept of human rights, but many challenge it in theory and practice from non-Western perspectives. There are several different Asian perspectives on human rights because there are many different Asian cultures and political histories. Some scholars draw a distinction between (1) cultural and philosophical perspectives that embody principles analogous to those embodied in Western perspectives on human rights, and (2) political perspectives on global legal processes grounded in human rights.