A panel discussion on “Reimagining Human Rights from a Global South Perspective” was held at North East Christian University (NECU) on November 6, 2026, organized in collaboration with the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life (OCRPL), UK, according to a report received from the university.
The program began with a welcome and prayer by Rev Dr Narola Imchen, Director of CARS. Dr AS Pillarson, Assistant Professor, CARS/OCRPL, introduced the theme, while Otoli V Yeptho, Guest Faculty, English Program, NECU, served as rapporteur.
Rev Dr Daniel Thejus, Executive Head (Academics & Operations), OCRPL, served as the panelist for the discussion. Drawing from a recent international human rights conference he attended, he noted that perspectives from the Global South remain largely absent in global human rights debates.
He raised two questions central to the discussion: How would human rights be shaped if Global South countries were equal stakeholders? How would justice, liberty, equality, dignity and brotherhood be defined when viewed through the experiences of Global South societies?
Rev Dr Thejus outlined three issues that he said continue to shape the imbalance within human rights conversations:
A Western-dominated history of human rights
He said the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948, was drafted in a context heavily influenced by Western political and philosophical traditions. Many Global South nations had limited representation, yet were later expected to adopt a framework shaped by Western historical experiences.
Friction between ‘universal’ rights and cultural contexts
He argued that the rationalist and individualist worldviews that emerged from the Enlightenment period shaped a version of human rights that sidelined community, faith and religion — values central to many Global South societies.
“In the East, the individual’s identity is etched in community,” he said, adding that imposing universal philosophical standards, such as Kant’s maxims, has often created misunderstandings.
Human Rights used as a soft tool of control
He said human rights, while essential, have also become a “polite form of control” in which Global South nations remain structurally dependent on Western powers, including in matters of identity and resource distribution.
Quoting economist Amartya Sen, he noted that human rights must go beyond legislation and become meaningful in lived experience.
Call for pluralized and context-specific human rights
The panelist said that while universal rights remain important, their interpretation must be pluralised so that each society can give meaning to human rights within its own cultural reality.
He recommended adopting “Dialogue Hermeneutics” – an approach based on interpretation through dialogue – to foster mutual understanding and prevent universal frameworks from becoming instruments of dominance.
The session concluded with an interactive discussion involving faculty and students.