Human rights is hard to define because this so-called “human rights” are western perspective of the way people consider all human being are equal and live without any decimation or violation from any situation.
However, is this accepted as a global norm? Not so much. There are so many culture and society around the world and people have a different perspective. This is cultural relativism that Mahoney says in his book, The challenge of Human Rights. I would like to explore this with Kumari, manifestations of the divine female energy figure and devi which is Sanskrit word for goddess in South Asia.
Kumari is a living goddess in Nepal Buddhists and some Hindu culture and is a prepubescent girl who live is chosen from the Shakya clan of the Nepalese Newari community in Nepal.
The selection of the Living Goddess is a highly elaborate tantric ritual. Upon passing the preliminary test, this is merely concerned with their 32 attributes of perfection, including the colour of her eyes, the shape of her teeth and the sound of her voice. Her horoscope must also be appropriate.
The 4 to 7 year poor girls from the Sakya community are made to confront a goddess in the darkened room. The sight of the Buffalo heads scattered around, the demon- like masked dancers, the terrifying noises they encounter scare some of these innocent babies. The real goddess is unlikely to be frightened, so the one who is calm and collected throughout the tests is the only girl who is entitled to sit on the pedestal for worship as the Living Goddess. Then as a final test similar to that of the Dalai Lama, the Kumari then chooses items of clothing and decoration worn by her predecessor. (Visit Nepal)
Once a girl gets chosen as Kumari, she has to serve as a living goddess until she gets the first menstruation.
This is a religious tradition in Nepal. However, if we put this in the human rights, what to do? This is an obvious violation of children’s right. If we put this to UNICEF Convention on the Right of the Child, we can say this is the practice of child labor because a girl once become Kumari, she has to pray for Nepali people and practice the rituals. Also this is child abuse because Kumari candidate girls have to go through all the process in abusive situation to testify such as they have to see the Buffalo heads or other scary things. Another point is that they don’t get to go to school to have a primary education so they don’t have a right to receive education.
But you know what? This is tradition that have been continuing practicing for thousands of years and this is something people inside of the culture appreciate and consider its precious. But western imperialism always goes for this, push from the top and say, this is abuse of human rights and you have to stop this!!!
Really? Is it true???
This is why human rights is really hard to define..
