Challenges

Languages, cultures and understanding

As the process of translations of the Charter texts began, the translators had difficulty in finding one-to-one equations in words and expressions that can effectively convey the sense of the Principles to the lowest common denominator among the public.
Language being culture specific, connotative meanings take precedence over denotative meanings in any language transaction and therefore conveying the exact sense of the principles to people of varying linguistic and cultural orientation posed a problem. For example, what the word ‘responsibility’ means to an activist is not what it means to a lay person; it is more an ambiguous term straddling between ‘duty’ and ‘obligation’ or any similar synonym like ‘dharma’. Especially when it is applied to women’s role in Asian societies.

In a way, greater familiarity with the term ‘right’ detracts from the importance of ‘responsibility’.