Believe Quote by Mary Robinson
“As Elders we have great respect for all religions and traditions as important forces that bind people together. Faith and tradition provide much of the foundation of our laws and social codes. But where religion and tradition are used to justify discrimination and especially when they are used to justify cruel and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, infanticide and child marriage, then we believe that is unacceptable.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: United Nations General Assembly, 2015
Respect for religion and tradition is vital, but they must not justify harmful practices that violate human rights.
In simple terms: Traditions are valuable but should not enable abuse.
Key Takeaway
Reject harmful customs, uphold human dignity.
Themes
human rights
culture
ethics
Mood
concerned
determined
Type
ethical
advocacy
When to use this quote
- policy making
- community advocacy
- legal reform
- education campaigns
Key Concepts
religion
tradition
gender equality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies preserve cultural identity while ending harmful practices?
- What legal tools effectively protect vulnerable groups?
A Different Perspective
Balancing cultural respect with universal rights can be complex.
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