Universalism

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The idea that human rights apply to everyone, everywhere, simply because they are human — not based on nationality, culture or religion.

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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) — the founding global list of rights for all members of the human family.

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That rights cannot be taken away or given up — you keep them simply by being human.

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It set a single standard of rights for all humans, everywhere, whatever their country or culture — later turned into binding treaties.

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No government can lawfully claim to be exempt, so it protects the weak against powerful states and refuses the 'tradition' excuse for abuse.

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That it reflects Western, individualist values imposed on others (a post-colonial critique) and can override local cultures.

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That a shared core (freedom from torture, slavery and killing) is genuinely universal, and 'culture' is often an excuse governments use to abuse people.

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Cultural relativism — the idea that rights should reflect each culture rather than one global standard.

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Rights are universal at the core (life, freedom from torture) but contested at the edges, and the idea is stronger than its uneven application.

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Freedom from torture, or the right to life — found in every regional human-rights charter.

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The UN created the UDHR and the human-rights treaties that turned universalism into a global standard.