What are human rights?

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever
our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic
origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all
equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These
rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by
law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law ,
general principles and other sources of international law.
International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments
to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to
promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of
individuals or groups.

Universal and inalienable
The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of
international human rights law. This principle, as first emphasized
in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, has been
reiterated in numerous international human rights conventions,
declarations, and resolutions. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on
Human Rights, for example, noted that it is the duty of States to
promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems.

UNICEF/ HQ04-0734/Jim HolmesUN Photo/John IsaacUN Photo/John
Isaac

All States have ratified at least one, and 80% of States have
ratified four or more, of the core human rights treaties,
reflecting consent of States which creates legal obligations for
them and giving concrete expression to universality. Some
fundamental human rights norms enjoy universal protection by
customary international law across all boundaries and
civilizations.

Human rights are inalienable. They should not be taken away,
except in specific situations and according to due process. For
example, the right to liberty may be restricted if a person is
found guilty of a crime by a court of law.

Interdependent and indivisible
All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil and
political rights, such as the right to life, equality before the
law and freedom of expression; economic, social and cultural
rights, such as the rights to work, social security and education ,
or collective rights, such as the rights to development and
self-determination, are indivisible, interrelated and
interdependent. The improvement of one right facilitates
advancement of the others. Likewise, the deprivation of one right
adversely affects the others.

Equal and non-discriminatory
UNICEF photoNon-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in
international human rights law. The principle is present in all the
major human rights treaties and provides the central theme of some
of international human rights conventions such as the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.

The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human
rights and freedoms and it prohibits discrimination on the basis of
a list of non-exhaustive categories such as sex, race, colour and
so on. The principle of non-discrimination is complemented by the
principle of equality, as stated in Article 1 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights.”

Both Rights and Obligations
Human rights entail both rights and obligations. States assume
obligations and duties under international law to respect, to
protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means
that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the
enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires
States to protect individuals and groups against human rights
abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take
positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.
At the individual level, while we are entitled our human rights, we
should also respect the human rights of others.

The post What are human rights? appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on
Welcome to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information
and Services Portal.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever
our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic
origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all
equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These
rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by
law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law ,
general principles and other sources of international law.
International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments
to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to
promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of
individuals or groups.

Universal and inalienable
The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of
international human rights law. This principle, as first emphasized
in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, has been
reiterated in numerous international human rights conventions,
declarations, and resolutions. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on
Human Rights, for example, noted that it is the duty of States to
promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems.

UNICEF/ HQ04-0734/Jim HolmesUN Photo/John IsaacUN Photo/John
Isaac

All States have ratified at least one, and 80% of States have
ratified four or more, of the core human rights treaties,
reflecting consent of States which creates legal obligations for
them and giving concrete expression to universality. Some
fundamental human rights norms enjoy universal protection by
customary international law across all boundaries and
civilizations.

Human rights are inalienable. They should not be taken away,
except in specific situations and according to due process. For
example, the right to liberty may be restricted if a person is
found guilty of a crime by a court of law.

Interdependent and indivisible
All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil and
political rights, such as the right to life, equality before the
law and freedom of expression; economic, social and cultural
rights, such as the rights to work, social security and education ,
or collective rights, such as the rights to development and
self-determination, are indivisible, interrelated and
interdependent. The improvement of one right facilitates
advancement of the others. Likewise, the deprivation of one right
adversely affects the others.

Equal and non-discriminatory
UNICEF photoNon-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in
international human rights law. The principle is present in all the
major human rights treaties and provides the central theme of some
of international human rights conventions such as the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.

The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human
rights and freedoms and it prohibits discrimination on the basis of
a list of non-exhaustive categories such as sex, race, colour and
so on. The principle of non-discrimination is complemented by the
principle of equality, as stated in Article 1 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights.”

Both Rights and Obligations
Human rights entail both rights and obligations. States assume
obligations and duties under international law to respect, to
protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means
that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the
enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires
States to protect individuals and groups against human rights
abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take
positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.
At the individual level, while we are entitled our human rights, we
should also respect the human rights of others.

The post What are human rights? appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on
Welcome to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal Information
and Services Portal.