Better protecting human rights

Tom Zwart, professor of human rights, Utrecht University

Despite the good intentions and sincere efforts of both sides, the discussions between Northern developed countries and Southern developing countries on human rights do not seem very fruitful. This is exemplified by the human rights dialogues taking place between China and its developed partners.

Northern human rights experts, who tend to view their human rights standards as universal, sometimes believe that their views are right and Southern views are wrong. But while Southern views may be different, that does not make them wrong.

The issue of human rights is a "big tent" that offers room to many views and approaches. Northern experts should welcome and respect other human rights approaches and should offer more room in their journals and their publications to Southern views.

This will diminish the reluctance of Southern experts to express their views. As a result, we will have a more open and constructive human rights discourse, aimed at really getting to know each rather than blaming and shaming the other.

Fostering a more sustainable environment for human rights development

Chen Shiqiu, vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies

The construction of a human rights development environment is a comprehensive, gradual and long-term task. It calls for the building of a sound political, economic, social and cultural environment, as well as the rule of law.

A favorable social environment should feature harmony, impartiality, equality, non-discrimination, tolerance, obedience to the law, fairness, and non-violence, among other things.

It is not easy for China to meet all these demands. Social conflicts and disharmony are unavoidable in the course of its reform and opening-up, during which conflicts between interests and rights have constantly occurred.

In order to relieve and overcome these social contradictions and conflicts, China has undertaken the task to construct a harmonious society, and laid special emphasis on the building of a social justice guarantee system featuring mainly equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules, the creating of a fair social environment, and the guaranteeing of the people's rights to equal participation and equal development.

Social conflicts cannot be solved in one single go and the construction of a harmonious society will be a long-term task, but building a harmonious society is the process whereby human rights are improved.

Fernando Alberto Calle Hayen, magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Peru

Human rights are essential, inalienable and inherent to human dignity. They contain many aspects, like those linked to the quality of life and development.

And the right to a healthy environment is no longer a putative right, as it is now included in the UN's human rights charter without discrimination.

However, there is a collision between the right to development and the right to a healthy environment, as the former is often realized at the cost of the latter, with detrimental effects on people's rights to life and health.

That requires us to know the extent to which industrial and technological growth is permissible, to achieve a balance between development and the environment.