Human rights are the fundamental rights that everyone is born with, simply because they are humans. These rights are not a privilege that can be taken away, but are there to protect people against others who want to harm or hurt them. Human rights help us get along with each other, live in peace and stay safe.
Throughout history, many people have had to fight for their human rights against others who wanted to use them for their own purposes. The atrocities and suffering experienced during World War II galvanised global opinion and led to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which set out to define everyone’s basic rights. The UDHR was agreed by the UN Commission on Human Rights, which was composed of representatives from all over the world. It was the first time that all states and organisations of states had agreed to a common understanding of what constitutes everyone’s human rights.
The UDHR was a major milestone and it is still the most important global human rights document. The document has inspired many commitments to uphold human rights at the regional and international levels. It has also prompted the development of a number of key instruments that protect these rights and are legally binding on countries.
While many people have some idea of their human rights – they usually know that they need to be fed, have somewhere to sleep and have a job so they can pay the bills for food, housing and clothes – few actually understand them in great detail. This is a problem because ignorance of human rights can lead to abuses and injustices. It can also lead to misunderstandings between governments and people, which can lead to tensions and conflict.
It is also important to realise that, even though human rights are indivisible, they are not necessarily equally valuable for everyone in every country. This is because the realisation of one right depends, in some way, on the realization of other rights. For example, if someone has the right to freedom of expression but not the right to education, they will find it difficult to exercise their rights fully.
In general, people will not knowingly violate the human rights of other people, and, once they are aware that they have done so, they will try to correct their behaviour. This is because most people believe that it is wrong to treat other humans in a way that offends their dignity. Human rights violations are a violation of this principle and they can be extremely upsetting to those who experience them.
In the workplace, if an organisation is not aware of the human rights issues that may arise within their company, it can be difficult to resolve them. This is because human rights are complex and vary across industries and workplaces. The level of skill, knowledge and impartiality required to tackle human rights issues in the workplace can be very high. In some cases, an external consultant with expertise in this area is needed.