The International Declaration of Human Rights is a revolutionary article in the history of human rights. On December 10, 1948, in General Assembly Resolution, Paris, representatives of different regions and cultures represented the declaration, declared by the United Nations General Assembly as a common standard of attainments for all people from other areas and all nations.
It was set for the first time that fundamental human rights should be protected at all costs, the document was translated into more than 500 languages.
Human Rights Definition
It concerns fundamental rights inherited by all human beings regardless of their status, colour, gender, cultural background, or any other categorization. Thus, these human rights are non-discriminatory, meaning all human beings are securely entitled to them and cannot be excluded.
Well, of course, despite entitled human rights, not all human beings experience them on an equal level universally. Many governments and political parties grossly ignore them and exploit other human beings on so many levels.
Some prominent human rights mentioned in the International Declaration of Human Rights document are:
- Economic Human Rights: including all rights to work professionally, to receive fair and equal wages and to own property in the country
- Civil Rights: all rights to live their life with all security and liberty
- Social Rights: rights to proper education and consent for marriage
- Collective Rights: including all necessary rights for self-discrimination
- Cultural Rights: all rights to practice and fully participate in cultural community
- Political Rights: all rights to the protection of the law and equality under the law
Women Rights & Humanity
Many organizations and governments are working worldwide to implement equal civil rights for women and girls. According to a report by the International Labour Organization, 11.4 million women and girls are the victims of forced labour of different forms including prostitution, human trafficking and debt bondage. As global organizations and legal parties seek to improve women’s rights and humanity, it is becoming more crucial day by day to address the forced exploitation of girls and women for inhumane acts.
- When women and girls are enslaved or become the victims of human trafficking then they don’t have access to programs aimed at women’s rights and human civil liberties. Some literal cases that bound women and their all rights to freedom
- Whether in forced marriage, prostitution or forced labour, enslaved women and trafficked girls face gross sexual and mental violence.
- Many times the enslaved women and girls are illiterate, they do not attend schools and often refuse to provide them with basic human rights.
- Trafficked and enslaved women and girls are also the victim of domestic violence.
- In many areas, trafficked or enslaved women and girls do not get basic healthcare facilities.
- The physical and sexual abuse of trafficked or enslaved women and girls often results in early pregnancies, forced abortions and exposure to many deadly diseases such as HIV and gonorrhoea.
- Trafficked and enslaved women, girls and children face critical malnutrition situations.
- These women do not have basic education and are provided with access to basic reproductive healthcare.
- Trafficked and enslaved women are bound to stay within small boundaries and they don’t have access to micro-loans, anti-poverty programs and economic development initiative programs, leaving them completely lean on their exploiters to fulfil basic human needs.
Natural Rights VS Human Rights
Fundamental or natural rights are the country’s registered citizen’s rights that are enforced and constituted by the law.
On the other hand, human rights are like safeguards that every individual seeks to spend a life with dignity and equality.
| Natural/Fundamental Rights | Human Rights |
| Fundamental or natural rights are inherent in nature and only include certain privileges that are necessary for the existence of a person. | Human rights are accepted globally and for every person, despite any difference such as sex, gender, nation, colour, race, caste, religion and other statuses. |
| Natural rights are nation-specific and they may differ from country to country. | Human rights are recognized on an international level and sponsored by UDHR, International treaties and other global conventions. |
| Fundamental rights are protected and recognized by the Constitution in every country and can be amended easily. | These rights cannot be waved –off by a person or government of a country.
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| Natural rights cannot be waved off by any person and these are enforceable against any state and individual in the country.
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The International Declaration of Human Rights is enforced by the United Nations. Violation of basic human rights of a person can be amended and addressed in the apex or Supreme Court of the country. |
| The constitutional law of the country can be amended, so hence, fundamental or natural rights can also be amended | These rights are derived from the implication of civilized countries. |
| It is crucial to adjust the counterparts of the International Declaration of Human Rights, followed by the social growth and obligation of a certain area. |
Some Prominent Articles on Basic Human Rights
Let’s have a look at some prominent and necessary human rights for every individual and organ of the society proclaimed by The General Assembly.
- All human beings are born free and have equal rights to dignity and freedom. They all are endowed with conciseness and reason and should practice brotherhood towards each other.
- Every individual has a right to society, liberty and security of life.
- No one should be held against their will and trade of slaves and servitude should be prohibited in every country.
- Everyone has the equal rights to be recognized everywhere as a person but before the law.
- No one should be subjected to cruel/torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
- Subjective arrest, exile or detention is clearly prohibited in the registered declaration of human rights.
- Every individual has equal rights of freedom to move their residence within the boundaries of the state.
- Everyone has the right to travel to any country, leave his country or return to his country.
- Every individual has the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries under persecution.
- Every individual in the country has a right to nationality.
- No one shall be denied or arbitrarily deprived of his nationality or his/her legal rights in the country.
All the rights and freedoms under the International Declaration of Human Rights cannot be exercised and seized contrary to the principles and purposes of the United Nations.
