ABSTRACT
South African jurist Albie Sachs sums up the logic of human rights this way: “When we celebrate human rights we celebrate human equality because we are all human, and at the same time we celebrate human uniqueness because none of us is the same.”1 Sachs captures the essence of human rights with such clarity that we rephrase it only to highlight some implications. All humans everywhere have equal rights to enjoy political and civil freedoms, to have economic and social security, to participate in community and family life, to have an education, and to benefit from scientific research. In addition, all humans have equal rights to dignity and to self-determination; to have their own distinctive identity and personality; to participate in culture; and to express themselves through their faith, ideology, and conscience. These two principles-the right to equality and the right to human uniquenessmotivate our discussions and frame our purposes.
