Human rights protect elements and areas of human existence that people need for physical survival (e.g. human right to food) and for a life with human dignity (e.g. human right to education). Thus, they constitute only a minimum standard. Nevertheless, there is criticism of their universal validity – yet some states and companies as well as fundamentalist groups, among others, violate human rights. How can this criticism be refuted? How can human rights violations be prevented? How can human rights be realized? These and similar questions will be discussed at the annual International Lucerne Ethics of Human Rights-Symposium LES of the Institute of Social Ethics ISE of the University of Lucerne.

Ethics of human rights is one of the research-focuses of the Institute of Social Ethics ISE of the University of Lucerne.