List of Human Rights

It is my right to vote. We are all aware of this one statement that comes up often during an election. And this statement Right to Vote is rather synonymous with elections. There are many who are aware of the right of 'choose not to vote' and those who are not aware, choose to remain ignorant. Anyway, the point here is, there are many rights conferred to an individual from the minute one is conceived in the mother's womb. They are called human rights, trampled upon every now and then, around the world. If you are wondering what are the human rights of a fetus, well, it simply is the right to be born and live freely! Until and unless someone steps on to our freedom, binding us with unwanted issues, we never ever think about human rights. In this article, we shall discuss some of the basic list of human rights.

What is the List of Human Rights
As an individual, living in free countries like US, UK, Australia, the real meaning of human rights is taken for granted. Why? We live in free countries and are allowed to speak as we wish, do as we please, and live as we like. Thus, we never actually understand what it is to feel our human rights being violated. There are yet many countries where the basic right to education, to speak, to express oneself, or for a woman or girl to walk around the market, without a male blood relative as a chaperon, are constantly violated. Even in our, so-called free, countries where one has the freedom of choice, there are many human rights violated at every step. Racism, sexual discrimination, religious discrimination, child labor, female infanticide, are just a few of these violated human rights.

A right is said to be a moral principle that defines and sanctions a persons freedom of action in a social setup. Life is a process that requires one to carry out self sustenance and fulfill the needs of one's own life. A right is an expression of liberty and freedom from all kinds of physical, mental compulsions, coercions and interference by other people. A human right is held by each person, without being infringed upon by others for their selfish needs. Before we move on with the different human rights, let us first discuss the human rights violations.

Human Rights Violations
Before we celebrate human rights day, we should first give a thought to the innumerable violations carried out against the same. It is very common fact for us that each person is entitled to basic human rights under any kind of circumstances. Most of these human rights include civil rights and political rights. However, one tends to forget the most fundamental human rights to life and safety. These human rights include justice, tolerance, mutual respect and above all human dignity. Human rights protection is a testimonial that ensures each person receives some degree of humane treatment, as well as the dignity of being human. However, there are millions around the world, whose fundamental rights are denied, and are treated as something less than human. They are robbed off their dignity and respect of being a part of the human race. This interference with a person's right is called human right's violation. There are many kinds, types and degrees of human rights violations.

Human rights violations includes death of innocent people due to war. A war brings suffering and devastation, irrespective of the cause. The fundamental rights of an individual is assaulted during a war. Torture, capture, prisoners of war, slavery, etc. are all types of human rights violations due to war. Genocide is one of the biggest human rights violations. Genocides can occur due to racial enmity, religious wars, or singling out an ethnic group.

Starvation, lack of medical help, lack of food, torture, human trafficking under the hands of political lords, etc, all come under human rights violations. When the freedom to speak, express, write, move around one's own country or city are curbed and put under restriction, it results in human rights violations. Laws that do not allow intra-racial marriages, inter caste marriages, same-sex marriages also form violation of human rights. One cannot take away the right to love whosoever the heart desires from an individual. There are still many human rights violations that involve racism and skin color. Individual's are still singled out based on their skin color, ethnicity and nationality.

On a more recognizable ground, human rights violations also include employment discrimination, banning the rights of an individual to wear what they please, tapping of phone calls, discrimination based on disability, etc. In some countries, women are not allowed to be born! Yes, female infanticide is still rampant in countries like India, and its neighboring Asian regions. There are many countries where women are not allowed a right to education, freedom to choose the man they want to marry, and are kept as slaves than wives, mothers or sisters.

One of the greatest human rights violations is the crime against women. There is no bigger human rights violations other than rape. Women, girls, are raped and sexually tortured all around the world. Women are forced into prostitution and sexual slavery, during war and even during peace. There are many forced pregnancies and forced abortions carried out on women. Sexual mutilation and sexual humiliations are human rights violations that many women young and old have to face. And this is not just seen in barbaric, under developed, war ridden or male dominated societies around the world. Rape and sexual exploitation of women is also common in the so-called developed and civilized countries we live in. I am sure many women will agree there is rampant sexual harassment faced by them in their jobs, while traveling and even made passes at, by those they think are their confidants.

Child abuse is another form of human rights violation, where children are forced and violated physically, mentally as well as sexually. Child labor is a human rights violation that takes away the freedom of being a child from a child. There is nothing more sinful than taking away or denying the right to education from a child. Workers toiling under harsh conditions and not being paid their fair remuneration. Low wages, poor working conditions and in humane treatment melted out are also some of the human rights violations.

A new form of human rights violation is facing the world. Terrorism is carried out in the name of religion, just cause or a way to throw away an oppressor. There is no justifiable cause that can support and promote killing of innocent people and destruction of hard-earned property and economy. This was a small list of human rights violations. Let us not move on to UN list of human rights laws.

UN List of Human Rights Laws
After the end of World War II, United Nations (UN), a world-wide organizations came into existence on 24 October 1945. This organization was created by 5 nations; United Kingdom, United States of America, the Soviet Union, France and China. These nations roped in other 47 nations around the world to safeguard the human rights of future generations from war. Over the years more nations joined and today there are more than 191 nations a part of United Nations.

The UN proposed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There was a committee formed headed by Mrs. Elanor Roosevelt, who drafted a document that 'declared' the rights for every individual in the entire cosmos. This declaration became a necessity after the World War II and the Nazi Germany's atrocities towards Jews came into light. There probably cannot be any human rights violation that can be compared to the large-scale torture and genocide of Jews under the hands of Nazis. The following is the preamble of Universal Declaration of Human Rights followed by the UN list of human rights laws.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights ~ Preamble

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the people of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,



as a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the people of Member States themselves and among the people of territories under their jurisdiction.


All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.


Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.


Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.


No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.


No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.


Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.


All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.


Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.


No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.


Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.


(1) Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offense, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.


No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.


(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.


(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.


(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.


(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.


(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.


Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.


Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.


(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.


Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.


(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.


Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.


(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out-of-wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.


(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.


(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.


Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.


(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.


Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

This was the UN list of human rights laws that safeguards each individual. However, there are many places and many instances where these human rights are blatantly ignored. These human rights need no declaration to be drafted and passed. These are basic rights that every one, everywhere should follow. The greed for power and the false pride of being better than the other, makes one forget the rights of others. Before anyone tries to violate the fundamental human rights of any individual, one should spare a thought, that the same thing could soon happen to them too. Hope this article on human rights issues has helped you understand your rights as an individual.