Human rights are a set of principles that govern the behaviour of all people. They include the right to life, to liberty and security of person, to equality, to respect for property, to freedom of expression and religion, and to participate in government. Governments are obliged to protect these rights, but it is the citizens who defend them and force governments to change their behaviour when they fail to do so.
The idea of human rights is relatively new, but it has taken hold in the world. It is now an international standard, reflected in the United Nations Charter and Declaration, as well as national and regional human rights laws and treaties.
The human rights concept is based on the notion that everyone has certain fundamental moral rights by virtue of being born as a human being. These rights cannot be negotiated or negotiated away, and they are universal and inalienable. They are also interdependent and interrelated. They are the minimum standards that all states must satisfy in order to claim their legitimacy and sovereignty.
If a government fails to respect human rights, it forfeits its claim to sovereignty and its right to legitimate rule. It does so not because it is inherently undemocratic or oppressive, but because it is violating the basic rights of its citizens. It may thus lose the support of its people, who will not be willing to continue supporting it. In such a situation, the state must respect its citizens’ right to revolt against the government and demand that it comply with international law and human rights standards.
Governments are often hesitant to enforce human rights internationally, as they do not want to lose their right to sovereign self-determination and their ability to act in their own interests. However, the UDHR and the human rights laws and treaties have made it clear that states have an obligation to uphold these universal standards, even when they do not want to do so. The idea of human rights has created a global culture, and it is not possible for any country to ignore this culture.
There is a strong argument that human rights are necessary for the proper functioning of society, as it ensures the dignity of all individuals and prevents tyranny and oppression. The main idea is that a person must be guaranteed certain rights in order to have an equal chance of success and prosperity. This includes the right to freedom of expression, to education and to healthcare.
Many of these rights are protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, which requires that all EU member countries ratify it in order to join the club of democratic and progressive states. Previously, challenges to the non-compliance of a country with the Convention would have to be brought in Strasbourg’s European Court of Human Rights, but now they can be brought directly in UK courts and tribunals. This is a welcome development for the protection of human rights in the world.