ABSTRACT
Public opinion is a complex issue and how to divine conclusive public opinion requires dedicated studies. States easily invoke public opinion to hold back or delay the realisation of human rights, but it is highly questionable whether their public is truly against actions intended to protect and promote human rights, a conclusion based on a series of political and sociological studies. This book approaches this issue from the perspective of human rights law, arguing that States cannot blindly rely on public opinion to decide issues concerning fundamental human rights and freedoms. Instead, States should have an independent voice on these issues and lead public opinion to embrace core human rights standards.
