Most people know that human rights are things you are allowed to be, do or have – and that they protect you from people who want to hurt you. But not everyone knows all the rights, and not everybody is treated equally. Some countries treat their citizens very well, while others do not. The reasons for these differences are complex, and the gaps between nations are widening.
Historically, people have viewed the idea that every person has certain fundamental rights as a matter of natural law. This was the basis for the early development of laws and constitutions, including in some European states. But until the atrocities of World War II galvanised international opinion, the principle was widely seen as a matter for domestic rather than international concern.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, and it established for the first time that fundamental freedoms and protections are ‘universal’ – a principle that applies to all people at all times, in any part of the world. It has been translated into more than 500 languages and has been incorporated into the constitutions of many states.
Rights are interconnected – the fulfilment of one right may depend, wholly or partially, on the fulfilment of another. They also imply responsibilities and duties to each other, to the wider community and to the planet. These include respect for each other and their dignity, tolerance and non-discrimination, equality and solidarity.
