Universal human rights make little sense unless they are supported by the concept of human responsibilities
             The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is of little value if it is not accompanied by the concept of human responsibility - the ability of individuals to adhere to the principles of the declaration and to consider themselves and their actions accountable to these principles. In the Indian sub-continent, this issue of 'human responsibility' is particularly controversial. For instance, India, the largest democratic nation in the world, is a signatory of the Declaration of Human Rights. However, as a result of religious or social traditions, certain sectors of the Indian community consider particular customs (whether religious or otherwise), such as caste and sati, as excluded from universal human rights. While they observe the declaration, certain parts of the community consider themselves immune from the practise of these principles when conducting social or religious customs contrary to the notions of human rights.
             Sati, an age-old Hindu custom, contradicts the notion of liberty and equality embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 1 of the Declaration begins, "All beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." However, Sati, the practise of the Hindu widow committing suicide upon the death of her husband, contradicts this notion entirely, especially considering that the Hindu male widow is not obligated to do the same. Women are pressured on religious grounds to conform to this tradition and "be the good wife, and kill herself." This, in turn, perpetuates the devaluation of the women in Indian society. From birth, women are seen as burdens to the family and good for nothing more than housework. Both traditional Hindu women in India and Pakistan, learn to place little value in themselves, and to view themselves as merely 'parts of' their husbands. Th
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