The concept of human rights empowers people to challenge abuse and corruption in society, whether it’s by the government or in their workplace. It says that everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do, deserves dignity and respect from society – and that, when they don’t get it, they can speak up.
The UDHR and the other international human rights treaties lay out a number of fundamental principles. They include the right to life, equality, freedom and security. They also say that the exercise of power must be subject to certain limits, and that no one should be arbitrarily deprived of their property or liberty.
Most people would agree that these basic principles are universal, and that they should be respected by every country in the world. There are, however, some important differences in how these principles are interpreted and applied by different countries. These differences are reflected in the range of questions and debates that surround human rights.
For example, while some countries may tolerate slavery within their borders, others do not. Female genital mutilation is a practice that some defend in the name of culture, while others regard it as a violation of human rights. There are also differences in how the death penalty is treated by different states; some have abolished it, while others still execute people.
But it’s important to remember that, despite these differences, the overall objective is the same: to ensure that everybody has their fundamental human rights protected. It’s also important to remember that no country in the world has a perfect record on human rights – even those considered to be liberal democracies like the UK and USA.
Nevertheless, there has been much progress, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries, with the abolition of slavery, the right to vote for women, the end of colonialism, the collapse of apartheid, and more. These changes have been brought about largely by pressure from the international community and, in many cases, from individuals who are willing to stand up against injustice.
There are still challenges to human rights protection, though. Some governments, political parties or candidates, social and economic players, and civil society actors, use the language of human rights without actually committing themselves to its objectives. This is often down to ignorance – not understanding what human rights standards call for – but it can also be down to intentional deception.
In any case, it is important to recognise that there are always going to be violations of human rights – because there are always people who don’t want to accept the principles of these documents. The best way to address this is through educating people, and encouraging them to speak up when they see their rights being violated. This can be done by pointing out that they have a right to do so, and providing them with information on where they can get support, either from the NGOs they can contact, or by writing to their parliamentary representatives or heads of state.