By grounding human rights in the concept of natural rights, this tradition challenges cultural relativism, which argues that moral standards and rights are context-dependent, varying from culture to culture. Natural rights provide a universal moral standard that transcends these boundaries, insisting that some rights are non-negotiable and must be protected for all people, everywhere. This approach is crucial in addressing and condemning practices such as slavery, genocide, discrimination, and systemic oppression, even if these practices are accepted or institutionalized within certain cultures or political regimes.

For example, slavery, which was once legally sanctioned in many parts of the world, was ultimately denounced as a violation of natural rights. Abolitionists in the 18th and 19th centuries argued that enslaving individuals was a direct affront to their natural rights to liberty and autonomy, regardless of the fact that slavery was enshrined in the legal systems of the time. The argument was not merely that slavery was illegal, but that it was morally wrong, because it violated the natural rights that all humans possess.

Similarly, natural rights theory has been invoked in modern human rights discourse to challenge authoritarian regimes and systems of oppression. Apartheid in South Africa, for example, was legally sanctioned for decades, but it was condemned globally because it violated the natural rights to equality, freedom, and dignity. By appealing to the universal nature of human rights, activists and international organizations were able to assert the moral illegitimacy of the apartheid regime, even as it clung to legal justifications for its practices.

The concept of natural rights has had a profound impact on the development of universal human rights and the moral frameworks that underpin them. By emphasizing that human rights are inherent, universal, and inalienable, natural rights theory provides a strong moral justification for the protection of individual dignity and liberty across all cultures and political systems. It has inspired some of the most important human rights documents in history and continues to serve as a foundation for modern human rights movements that seek to protect individuals from oppression, tyranny, and injustice. The appeal of natural rights lies in their universality, providing a moral compass that transcends legal, cultural, and political differences, ensuring that every person is entitled to the basic rights of life, liberty, and dignity.