Human Rights: Foundations, History, and Challenges
Understanding Human Rights
Since the late eighteenth century, the existence of fundamental human rights has been increasingly acknowledged. These rights are inherent to all human beings, founded either in reason or human conscience. As members of the same species, we all possess these rights equally. Consequently, everyone is entitled to these rights without distinction of age, sex, religion, ideology, economic or social position, or nationality. Human rights are applicable to all human beings living anywhere in the world. Everyone must respect these rights, and societies must not only respect them but also guarantee them and make them real through their political organization.
Core Features of Human Rights
A right is a necessary condition for people that cannot be taken away by anyone. The fundamental rights or human rights are inalienable demands and conditions that human beings possess. These rights are very important, demanding recognition, respect, protection, and promotion from everyone, especially authorities. Key characteristics include:
- Universality: Human rights belong to all human beings simply because they are human, without exception based on skin color, place of origin, ideas, etc. They belong to everyone naturally.
- Inalienability: Human rights cannot be bought, sold, inherited, assigned, or transferred. They belong to each person individually.
- Non-negotiability: Each and every human right is important. Non-compliance with any right cannot be negotiated for any reason.
Types of Human Rights
Human rights can be categorized as follows:
- Individual Rights: These pertain to the individual and have traditionally focused on freedoms, such as freedom of expression and religion.
- Social Rights: These are specific to a community and have traditionally focused on equality and solidarity, including the right to education, health care, and access to information.
Democratic states generally recognize, respect, safeguard, and promote human rights, although aggregation may vary.
Historical Development of Human Rights
18th Century Milestones
- The Bill of Rights of Virginia (1776): Included rights for citizens, but excluded groups like slaves.
- The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789): Applied to all human beings, representing a significant breakthrough.
19th Century Developments
Individual rights (like freedom, legal equality, and the right to vote for men only) were recognized, along with economic and social rights (such as the right to work, education, strike, assembly, and association). However, women and other groups were still largely excluded.
20th Century and the UN
After the Second World War, supranational bodies were created to ensure compliance with fundamental rights and address inequalities. The United Nations (UN) was established for this purpose.
The United Nations Organization (UNO or UN) is an organization of sovereign states that voluntarily join to work together for world peace, promote friendship among all nations, and support economic and social progress. The organization was officially founded on October 24, 1945 (Note: The text incorrectly stated 1948, which is the year of the UDHR adoption).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
The UN drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948.
The UDHR: Impact and Ongoing Challenges
Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not a legally binding document for states, it has inspired many nations in drafting their constitutions. It has become an expression of the collective conscience of humanity. In the decades since its adoption, many achievements have been made, yet much remains to be done in the practical application of these rights.
Today, significant challenges persist:
- Women continue to be victims of gender violence, experience higher rates of poverty, and face workplace discrimination compared to men.
- Many children worldwide live on the streets in extreme poverty, are victims of human trafficking, and are exploited as soldiers, laborers, or for sexual purposes.
- Indigenous groups and refugees often live in deprivation with severely limited rights.
- Armed conflicts frequently arise from the violation of fundamental human rights.
- Certain political regimes, even those nominally democratic, repress freedoms, violate numerous human rights, and maintain the death penalty.