The HRUG regular seminar on “From Speech to Action – Implementation Issues of Human Rights” was successfully held on October 21, 2021. The panel discussion was chaired by Mehmet Okyayuz (Professor of Middle East Technical University, Ankara/Turkey). Other contributors included Peter Herrmann (Professor of Central South University, Lethokawa George Mpedi (Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg), António Duarte (Professor of Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon, Portugal), Joe Finnerty (social policy analyst, School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland), Maria Francesca Staiano (Director of the China Research Center at the Institute of International Relations, the National University of La Plata in Argentina), and Féilim Ó hAdhmaill (Lecturer of the School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork, Republic of Ireland), They shared, reported, and supplemented their respective views on the theme.
Professor Mehmet Okyayuz emphasized the connection between ethics and the material world. He believes that during the pandemic, the production and distribution of vaccines face challenges, with issues of unfair vaccine distribution. Professor Lethokawa George Mpedi discussed the unequal distribution of vaccines and medications between government institutions and individuals. Professor Peter Herrmann used gender equality as an example to advocate for theoretical discussions on the possibility of world progress. He emphasized the need to be vigilant against regressive behaviors in the current political and social situation in European countries and urged critical examination of the current political situation. Joe Finnerty emphasized the importance of critically evaluating the discourse of different actors and institutions. He pointed out the need to approach all actors with caution, which helps in dealing with complex social issues. Féilim Ó hAdhmaill believes that the social background should be considered when discussing topics such as ideology, gender equality, and racial differences. He pointed out that even though issues such as gender and racial differences have received attention in a capitalist context, the exploitative nature of capitalism has not changed. Professor António Manuel Duarte believes that the current focus should be on the tension between the specific and global aspects of human rights. He agrees with Professor Peter Herrmann’s view that Margaret Thatcher did not take a big step in the direction we want, but nevertheless, through the example of Margaret Thatcher, it can be seen that women have the right to do what men can do. That is, when minorities want to join the game, minorities must first accept the rules of the game, and then these rules can eventually be changed. Maria Francesca Staiano believes that the concept of human rights is constantly evolving with the development of history, so it is necessary to re-examine and redefine the concept of human rights. She also discussed China’s views on human rights semantics and other aspects, especially terms like “people-centered”, which provide a new path for global human rights governance. In conclusion, Professor Mehmet Okyayuz stated that this seminar has enhanced everyone’s comprehension of the economic, institutional, and other contextual factors that influence the development of human rights discourse. It has also provided novel perspectives for comprehending human rights discourse.
2021年10月21日，HRUG定期研讨会之“从言论到行动——人权的实施问题”主题会议顺利举办。本次小组讨论由土耳其中东科技大学政治学Mehmet Okyayuz教授主持，中南大学人权研究中心研究员Peter Herrmann教授、南非约翰内斯堡大学副校长Lethokawa George Mpedi教授、葡萄牙里斯本大学心理学院António Duarte教授、爱尔兰国立科克大学应用社会研究学院政策分析家Joe Finnerty、阿根廷拉普拉塔国立大学国际关系研究所中国研究中心主任Maria Francesca Staiano以及爱尔兰国立科克大学应用社会研究学院讲师Féilim Ó hAdhmaill进行相应观点的分享、汇报和补充。
Mehmet Okyayuz教授强调道德与物质世界之间的联系。他认为疫情期间，疫苗的生产和分配问题面临挑战，存在疫苗分配不公正的问题。Lethokawa George Mpedi教授谈到了政府机构和个人之间存在不公正的分配现象，例如疫苗接种以及药物的分配不平等。Peter Herrmann教授以性别平等为例，主张对世界进步可能性进行理论讨论，强调需要警惕欧洲国家当前政治社会中的倒退行为，敦促对当前政治局势进行批判性审视。Joe Finnerty强调对不同行为主体和机构的言论进行批判性评估的重要性。他指出需要以审慎的态度对待所有行为主体，这有助于处理复杂的社会问题。Féilim Ó hAdhmaill认为应重视讨论意识形态、性别平等、种族差异等议题时的社会背景。他指出即使资本主义背景下性别、种族差异等议题受到了关注，但资本主义的剥削性并未发生改变。António Manuel Duarte教授认为现阶段要处理的应是人权的具体方面和人权的全球方面之间的紧张关系。António Manuel Duarte教授同意Peter Herrmann教授的观点，玛格丽特·撒切尔在我们想要的方向上并没有迈出一大步，但尽管如此，通过玛格丽特·撒切尔的例子可以看到，女性有权做男人可以做的事。即当少数人想要加入游戏时，少数人必须首先接受游戏规则，然后这些规则才能最终被改变。António Manuel Duarte教授认为现阶段要处理的应是人权的具体方面和人权的全球方面之间的紧张关系。António Manuel Duarte教授同意Peter Herrmann教授的观点，玛格丽特·撒切尔在我们想要的方向上并没有迈出一大步，但尽管如此，通过玛格丽特·撒切尔的例子可以看到，女性有权做男人可以做的事。即当少数人想要加入游戏时，少数人必须首先接受游戏规则，然后这些规则才能最终被改变。
Maria Francesca Staiano认为随着历史的发展人权观是不断变迁的，因此有必要重新审视和定义人权概念。中国关于人权的语义等方面的观点，尤其是以人为本这类术语为全球人权治理提供了新路径。