WNAM MONITORING: In the narrative of the West, human rights often come across as mere rhetoric, but “when listening to what they say, we also need to see what they do,” a human rights scholar said during the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
In an interview with Xinhua, David Lopez, a consultant from the International Association for Human Rights and Social Development, urged individuals to closely examine the situation in Gaza as this will lead to a greater understanding of the West’s double standards regarding human rights.
Lopez, a human rights defender with a strong focus on human rights issues in Latin America, is especially intrigued by China’s efforts to promote and safeguard human rights as a developing nation.
Highlighting the progress in ensuring the educational rights of children in impoverished regions in China, Lopez said the West often overlooks human rights progress in Latin America, instead it focuses on ideological concerns, which resembles its approach towards China.
In an article published earlier this month, Lopez said China has made “significant progress” in poverty reduction and social development, narrowing the income gap of residents and effectively safeguarding the human rights of “the country’s most vulnerable population.” The West has found it difficult to understand China, “because it does not want to,” he added.
During the 55th session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva, many human rights experts and scholars were of a similar mind to Lopez, affirming China’s progress in promoting and protecting human rights while refuting the inherent biases of the West on human rights.
As to Western bias, Alfred de Zayas, former UN independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, shared his experiences. “I grew up in Chicago,” and was constantly indoctrinated to oppose certain specific countries and groups, he said.
De Zayas said it took him a long time to overcome this prejudice “by knowing people.” Therefore, he supports China’s broad dissemination of its achievements in promoting and protecting human rights.
