nature of human rights Flashcards
definition of human rights
Human rights are fundamental rights. They are things that every human being is entitled to just because they ate human, they are universally recognisable interests, powers, liberties, and entitlements associated with human dignity and freedom.
- from UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: rights inherent to all human beings that we are all equally entitled to without discrimination
They have their source in natural law, but may be protected by the positive law of the state (e.g. statute law, written into legislation)
human rights are inalienable (cannot be taken away), inherent (permanent and essential), indivisible (all rights belong to everyone) and universal
types of human rights
- cultural rights (freedom to practice religion and beliefs without persection)
- social rights (right to be treated without discrimination)
- civil rights (freedom of speech/ movement)
- political right (ability to take part in democratic processe)
- economic rights (abiliyt to join a trade union and earn an income)
development of human rights
hard to say, but can be agreed that religion brought early idea of ethics and morals (natural law) –> development of democracy –> England magna carta 1215 spread to different countries (first legal document that that granted individual rights to the nobility e.g. right of free men not to be. impriosned except in accordance with the law) –> The English Bill of Rights 1689 included some individual rights sucha s the prohobitiion on cruel/ unusual punishments –> the french and american revoltuions in the 18th century, declarations and bills of rights were important feature of the revolutions. To this, the american declaration of independence )1776) and the French declaration on the rights of man and citizen established that individuals are created equal –> US bill of rights (1788) contributed to a growing recognition of human rights in the legal sense —> peace treaties that concluded at the end of WW1 saw some clauses which guaranteed the protection of minorities –> the league of nations formed after WW1 saw that minority rights were guaranteed –> UDHR which spread recognition of international human rights
All throughout history, there have been a number of different campaigns towards various rights that have created different rights and promoted human rights development worldwide.
development to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
- World war two was also a pivotal moment in international human rights, where genocide and massive human rights violations affected the whole world that a movement towards an international recognition of human rights was established
- through the development of the uN, the Univeral Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was established in 1948
- it established a list of human rights that each human is entitled to
- coujntries sign up and ratify and accept rights and from there, recofnition of international human rights grew
