In May, Professor Brian Lepard presented a paper at a conference on interreligious dialogue held in Doha, Qatar. The conference was sponsored by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue and focused on religious perspectives on the structure of families in light of a changing world.
Professor Lepard participated in a panel dealing with family status in national and international law. His paper was entitled “Implementing International Standards on Family Rights: The Role of Common Ethical Teachings of the World Religions.”
Professor Lepard’s paper notes that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that “the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.” It identifies various family rights, including the rights of spouses, women, and children, which are today also protected by various treaties. His paper observes, however, that unfortunately many family rights are under challenge today. These rights include the rights of families to live together, the rights of spouses to build strong marriages together, and the rights of parents to educate their children both morally and materially.
Professor Lepard argues that a fruitful approach to these challenges can be based on ethical teachings shared by various religions. His paper focuses on four key shared teachings: (1) the sacred nature of the family and its unity as the foundation for social harmony at all levels of society; (2) the sacred nature of marriage and the equal rights of husbands and wives; (3) the responsibility of parents to educate children morally as well as in material knowledge; and (4) the unity of the human family. He maintains that these shared teachings support a common ethic of family rights that suggests particular measures to implement relevant international legal standards.
Professor Lepard is a recognized expert on comparative religious law, comparative ethics, and international human rights law. His most recent book is Reexamining Customary International Law, published by Cambridge University Press in 2017. Professor Lepard is the Harold W. Conroy Distinguished Professor of Law at the College of Law.
Image Above: Professor Lepard receiving a gift of appreciation from the chair of the panel, Mr. Mubarak Saadoun Saleh Mohammed Al-Mutawa of Kuwait.
