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What are human rights?
Human rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex,
national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status...
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Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings -
they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us
all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion,
language, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental - the
right to life - to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food,
education, work, health, and liberty.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the UN
General Assembly in 1948, was the first legal document to set out the
fundamental human rights to be universally protected. The UDHR, which
turns 75 on 10 December 2023, continues to be the foundation of all
international human rights law. Its 30 articles provide the principles and
building blocks of current and future human rights conventions, treaties and
other legal instruments.
The UDHR, together with the 2 covenants - the International Covenant for
Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant for Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights - make up the International Bill of Rights.
Universal and inalienable
The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of
international human rights law. This means that we are all equally entitled to
our human rights. This principle, as first emphasized in the UDHR, is
repeated in many international human rights conventions, declarations, and
resolutions.
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.
© UNICEF/UNI220918/Orozco
Indivisible and interdependent
All human rights are indivisible and interdependent. This means that one
set of rights cannot be enjoyed fully without the other. For example, making
progress in civil and political rights makes it easier to exercise economic,
social and cultural rights. Similarly, violating economic, social and cultural
rights can negatively affect many other rights.
Related
Stand up for human rights
The 30 articles of the UDHR
30 articles about the 30 Articles
The Declaration in more than 500 languages
Two Covenants 50th Anniversary
Short videos on human rights and treaty
bodies
Are economic, social and political rights
different from civil and political rights?
International human rights law
© EPA/Alanah M. Torralba.
Equal and non-discriminatory
Article 1 of the UDHR states: “All human beings are born free and equal in
dignity and rights.” Freedom from discrimination, set out in Article 2, is what
ensures this equality.
Non-discrimination cuts across all international human rights law. This
principle is present in all major human rights treaties. It also provides the
central theme of 2 core instruments: 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.
Both rights and obligations
All States have ratified at least 1 of the 9 core human rights treaties, as well
as 1 of the 9 optional protocols. Eighty per cent of States have ratified 4 or
more. This means that States have obligations and duties under international
law to respect, protect and fulfill 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 fulfill means that States must take positive action to
facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.
Meanwhile, as individuals, while we are entitled to our human rights – but,
we should also respect and stand up for the human rights of others.
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