ABSTRACT
Although the term ‘human rights’ (huquq al-insan) has its equivalent in many languages, the understanding of what ‘human rights’ means is subject to debate and controversy. For some in non-Western societies, the discourse of human rights is a product of the West and Western civilization; it has a neo-imperialistic tone, and is used to dominate, control and restrict the progress of non-Western societies. For others in these societies, the concept of ‘human rights’ reflects the concerns and interests of the vast majority of people on earth; the fact that it began as a Western construct does not mean that it is specifically a Western idea, interest or concern.1
