Human Rights
Human rights refer to basic rights and freedoms that all humans are inherently entitled to regardless of sex, creed, color, or anything else. Example of basic human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law, social/cultural/economic rights, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education. The protection of human rights has been an age old idea and there is evidence in old Persian texts and as recently as the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. However, the international recognition of human rights is fairly recent.
The main international norms in regards to human rights are International Humanitarian Law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. International Humanitarian Law came into being at the Geneva conventions and was meant to reduce war crimes. International humanitarian law, guaranteed basic human rights to prisoners of war or civilians in areas of combat. International humanitarian law protects human rights, and is upheld in the International Court of Justice. The next universally accepted norm in the field of human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was composed after the creation of the United Nations. After the atrocities committed in WWII by Nazi Germany, it became apparent that a body of work must exist that clearly outlines and defends the fundamental human rights that all persons are guaranteed.
Human rights are now protected by international laws, which are defended at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands. There are also many treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights which were both adopted by the United Nations thus making the rights guaranteed in these documents and the UDHR legally binding to all member states. Human rights has become such an important issue that the United Nations has designated a special council called the United Nations Human Rights Council to research human rights and submit reports and make recommendations to the General Assembly who will then in turn make recommendations to the Security Council.
Aside from internationally accepted norms, most countries or regional blocs also have a charter or document outlining human rights laws for its’ citizens. The focus on human rights is really essential, as without basic fundamental rights that we are all born without it we are no better than animals and savages. While there are always conflicts among us, there needs to be a line drawn when it comes to violating basic human rights and needs.
