human rights day essay introduction

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Essay on Human Rights: Samples in 500 and 1500

• Updated on  
• Jun 20, 2024

Essay writing is an integral part of the school curriculum and various academic and competitive exams like IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. It is designed to test your command of the English language and how well you can gather your thoughts and present them in a structure with a flow. To master your ability to write an essay, you must read as much as possible and practise on any given topic. This blog brings you a detailed guide on how to write an essay on Human Rights , with useful essay samples on Human rights.

This Blog Includes:

The basic human rights, 200 words essay on human rights, 500 words essay on human rights, 500+ words essay on human rights in india, 1500 words essay on human rights, importance of human rights, essay on human rights pdf, what are human rights.

Human rights mark everyone as free and equal, irrespective of age, gender, caste, creed, religion and nationality. The United Nations adopted human rights in light of the atrocities people faced during the Second World War. On the 10th of December 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Its adoption led to the recognition of human rights as the foundation for freedom, justice and peace for every individual. Although it’s not legally binding, most nations have incorporated these human rights into their constitutions and domestic legal frameworks. Human rights safeguard us from discrimination and guarantee that our most basic needs are protected.

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Before we move on to the essays on human rights, let’s check out the basics of what they are.

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Here is a 200-word short sample essay on basic Human Rights.

Human rights are a set of rights given to every human being regardless of their gender, caste, creed, religion, nation, location or economic status. These are said to be moral principles that illustrate certain standards of human behaviour. Protected by law , these rights are applicable everywhere and at any time. Basic human rights include the right to life, right to a fair trial, right to remedy by a competent tribunal, right to liberty and personal security, right to own property, right to education, right of peaceful assembly and association, right to marriage and family, right to nationality and freedom to change it, freedom of speech, freedom from discrimination, freedom from slavery, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of movement, right of opinion and information, right to adequate living standard and freedom from interference with privacy, family, home and correspondence.

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Check out this 500-word long essay on Human Rights.

Every person has dignity and value. One of the ways that we recognise the fundamental worth of every person is by acknowledging and respecting their human rights. Human rights are a set of principles concerned with equality and fairness. They recognise our freedom to make choices about our lives and develop our potential as human beings. They are about living a life free from fear, harassment or discrimination.

Human rights can broadly be defined as the basic rights that people worldwide have agreed are essential. These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to health, education and an adequate standard of living. These human rights are the same for all people everywhere – men and women, young and old, rich and poor, regardless of our background, where we live, what we think or believe. This basic property is what makes human rights’ universal’.

Human rights connect us all through a shared set of rights and responsibilities. People’s ability to enjoy their human rights depends on other people respecting those rights. This means that human rights involve responsibility and duties towards other people and the community. Individuals have a responsibility to ensure that they exercise their rights with consideration for the rights of others. For example, when someone uses their right to freedom of speech, they should do so without interfering with someone else’s right to privacy.

Governments have a particular responsibility to ensure that people can enjoy their rights. They must establish and maintain laws and services that enable people to enjoy a life in which their rights are respected and protected. For example, the right to education says that everyone is entitled to a good education. Therefore, governments must provide good quality education facilities and services to their people. If the government fails to respect or protect their basic human rights, people can take it into account.

Values of tolerance, equality and respect can help reduce friction within society. Putting human rights ideas into practice can help us create the kind of society we want to live in. There has been tremendous growth in how we think about and apply human rights ideas in recent decades. This growth has had many positive results – knowledge about human rights can empower individuals and offer solutions for specific problems.

Human rights are an important part of how people interact with others at all levels of society – in the family, the community, school, workplace, politics and international relations. Therefore, people everywhere must strive to understand what human rights are. When people better understand human rights, it is easier for them to promote justice and the well-being of society. 

Also Read: Important Articles in Indian Constitution

Here is a human rights essay focused on India.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. It has been rightly proclaimed in the American Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Created with certain unalienable rights….” Similarly, the Indian Constitution has ensured and enshrined Fundamental rights for all citizens irrespective of caste, creed, religion, colour, sex or nationality. These basic rights, commonly known as human rights, are recognised the world over as basic rights with which every individual is born.

In recognition of human rights, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was made on the 10th of December, 1948. This declaration is the basic instrument of human rights. Even though this declaration has no legal bindings and authority, it forms the basis of all laws on human rights. The necessity of formulating laws to protect human rights is now being felt all over the world. According to social thinkers, the issue of human rights became very important after World War II concluded. It is important for social stability both at the national and international levels. Wherever there is a breach of human rights, there is conflict at one level or the other.

Given the increasing importance of the subject, it becomes necessary that educational institutions recognise the subject of human rights as an independent discipline. The course contents and curriculum of the discipline of human rights may vary according to the nature and circumstances of a particular institution. Still, generally, it should include the rights of a child, rights of minorities, rights of the needy and the disabled, right to live, convention on women, trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation etc.

Since the formation of the United Nations , the promotion and protection of human rights have been its main focus. The United Nations has created a wide range of mechanisms for monitoring human rights violations. The conventional mechanisms include treaties and organisations, U.N. special reporters, representatives and experts and working groups. Asian countries like China argue in favour of collective rights. According to Chinese thinkers, European countries lay stress upon individual rights and values while Asian countries esteem collective rights and obligations to the family and society as a whole.

With the freedom movement the world over after World War II, the end of colonisation also ended the policy of apartheid and thereby the most aggressive violation of human rights. With the spread of education, women are asserting their rights. Women’s movements play an important role in spreading the message of human rights. They are fighting for their rights and supporting the struggle for human rights of other weaker and deprived sections like bonded labour, child labour, landless labour, unemployed persons, Dalits and elderly people.

Unfortunately, violation of human rights continues in most parts of the world. Ethnic cleansing and genocide can still be seen in several parts of the world. Large sections of the world population are deprived of the necessities of life i.e. food, shelter and security of life. Right to minimum basic needs viz. Work, health care, education and shelter are denied to them. These deprivations amount to the negation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Also Read: Human Rights Courses

Check out this detailed 1500-word essay on human rights.

The human right to live and exist, the right to equality, including equality before the law, non-discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and equality of opportunity in matters of employment, the right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence, the right to practice any profession or occupation, the right against exploitation, prohibiting all forms of forced labour, child labour and trafficking in human beings, the right to freedom of conscience, practice and propagation of religion and the right to legal remedies for enforcement of the above are basic human rights. These rights and freedoms are the very foundations of democracy.

Obviously, in a democracy, the people enjoy the maximum number of freedoms and rights. Besides these are political rights, which include the right to contest an election and vote freely for a candidate of one’s choice. Human rights are a benchmark of a developed and civilised society. But rights cannot exist in a vacuum. They have their corresponding duties. Rights and duties are the two aspects of the same coin.

Liberty never means license. Rights presuppose the rule of law, where everyone in the society follows a code of conduct and behaviour for the good of all. It is the sense of duty and tolerance that gives meaning to rights. Rights have their basis in the ‘live and let live’ principle. For example, my right to speech and expression involves my duty to allow others to enjoy the same freedom of speech and expression. Rights and duties are inextricably interlinked and interdependent. A perfect balance is to be maintained between the two. Whenever there is an imbalance, there is chaos.

A sense of tolerance, propriety and adjustment is a must to enjoy rights and freedom. Human life sans basic freedom and rights is meaningless. Freedom is the most precious possession without which life would become intolerable, a mere abject and slavish existence. In this context, Milton’s famous and oft-quoted lines from his Paradise Lost come to mind: “To reign is worth ambition though in hell/Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.”

However, liberty cannot survive without its corresponding obligations and duties. An individual is a part of society in which he enjoys certain rights and freedom only because of the fulfilment of certain duties and obligations towards others. Thus, freedom is based on mutual respect’s rights. A fine balance must be maintained between the two, or there will be anarchy and bloodshed. Therefore, human rights can best be preserved and protected in a society steeped in morality, discipline and social order.

Violation of human rights is most common in totalitarian and despotic states. In the theocratic states, there is much persecution, and violation in the name of religion and the minorities suffer the most. Even in democracies, there is widespread violation and infringement of human rights and freedom. The women, children and the weaker sections of society are victims of these transgressions and violence.

The U.N. Commission on Human Rights’ main concern is to protect and promote human rights and freedom in the world’s nations. In its various sessions held from time to time in Geneva, it adopts various measures to encourage worldwide observations of these basic human rights and freedom. It calls on its member states to furnish information regarding measures that comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whenever there is a complaint of a violation of these rights. In addition, it reviews human rights situations in various countries and initiates remedial measures when required.

The U.N. Commission was much concerned and dismayed at the apartheid being practised in South Africa till recently. The Secretary-General then declared, “The United Nations cannot tolerate apartheid. It is a legalised system of racial discrimination, violating the most basic human rights in South Africa. It contradicts the letter and spirit of the United Nations Charter. That is why over the last forty years, my predecessors and I have urged the Government of South Africa to dismantle it.”

Now, although apartheid is no longer practised in that country, other forms of apartheid are being blatantly practised worldwide. For example, sex apartheid is most rampant. Women are subject to abuse and exploitation. They are not treated equally and get less pay than their male counterparts for the same jobs. In employment, promotions, possession of property etc., they are most discriminated against. Similarly, the rights of children are not observed properly. They are forced to work hard in very dangerous situations, sexually assaulted and exploited, sold and bonded for labour.

The Commission found that religious persecution, torture, summary executions without judicial trials, intolerance, slavery-like practices, kidnapping, political disappearance, etc., are being practised even in the so-called advanced countries and societies. The continued acts of extreme violence, terrorism and extremism in various parts of the world like Pakistan, India, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Somalia, Algeria, Lebanon, Chile, China, and Myanmar, etc., by the governments, terrorists, religious fundamentalists, and mafia outfits, etc., is a matter of grave concern for the entire human race.

Violation of freedom and rights by terrorist groups backed by states is one of the most difficult problems society faces. For example, Pakistan has been openly collaborating with various terrorist groups, indulging in extreme violence in India and other countries. In this regard the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva adopted a significant resolution, which was co-sponsored by India, focusing on gross violation of human rights perpetrated by state-backed terrorist groups.

The resolution expressed its solidarity with the victims of terrorism and proposed that a U.N. Fund for victims of terrorism be established soon. The Indian delegation recalled that according to the Vienna Declaration, terrorism is nothing but the destruction of human rights. It shows total disregard for the lives of innocent men, women and children. The delegation further argued that terrorism cannot be treated as a mere crime because it is systematic and widespread in its killing of civilians.

Violation of human rights, whether by states, terrorists, separatist groups, armed fundamentalists or extremists, is condemnable. Regardless of the motivation, such acts should be condemned categorically in all forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever they are committed, as acts of aggression aimed at destroying human rights, fundamental freedom and democracy. The Indian delegation also underlined concerns about the growing connection between terrorist groups and the consequent commission of serious crimes. These include rape, torture, arson, looting, murder, kidnappings, blasts, and extortion, etc.

Violation of human rights and freedom gives rise to alienation, dissatisfaction, frustration and acts of terrorism. Governments run by ambitious and self-seeking people often use repressive measures and find violence and terror an effective means of control. However, state terrorism, violence, and human freedom transgressions are very dangerous strategies. This has been the background of all revolutions in the world. Whenever there is systematic and widespread state persecution and violation of human rights, rebellion and revolution have taken place. The French, American, Russian and Chinese Revolutions are glowing examples of human history.

The first war of India’s Independence in 1857 resulted from long and systematic oppression of the Indian masses. The rapidly increasing discontent, frustration and alienation with British rule gave rise to strong national feelings and demand for political privileges and rights. Ultimately the Indian people, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, made the British leave India, setting the country free and independent.

Human rights and freedom ought to be preserved at all costs. Their curtailment degrades human life. The political needs of a country may reshape Human rights, but they should not be completely distorted. Tyranny, regimentation, etc., are inimical of humanity and should be resisted effectively and united. The sanctity of human values, freedom and rights must be preserved and protected. Human Rights Commissions should be established in all countries to take care of human freedom and rights. In cases of violation of human rights, affected individuals should be properly compensated, and it should be ensured that these do not take place in future.

These commissions can become effective instruments in percolating the sensitivity to human rights down to the lowest levels of governments and administrations. The formation of the National Human Rights Commission in October 1993 in India is commendable and should be followed by other countries.

Also Read: Law Courses in India

Human rights are of utmost importance to seek basic equality and human dignity. Human rights ensure that the basic needs of every human are met. They protect vulnerable groups from discrimination and abuse, allow people to stand up for themselves, and follow any religion without fear and give them the freedom to express their thoughts freely. In addition, they grant people access to basic education and equal work opportunities. Thus implementing these rights is crucial to ensure freedom, peace and safety.

Human Rights Day is annually celebrated on the 10th of December.

Human Rights Day is celebrated to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UNGA in 1948.

Some of the common Human Rights are the right to life and liberty, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom from slavery and torture and the right to work and education.

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• Introduction

Origins in ancient Greece and Rome

• Natural law transformed into natural rights
• “Nonsense upon stilts”: the critics of natural rights
• The persistence of the notion
• The nature of human rights: commonly accepted postulates
• Liberté : civil and political rights
• Égalité : economic, social, and cultural rights
• Fraternité : solidarity or group rights
• Liberté versus égalité
• The relevance of custom and tradition: the universalist-relativist debate
• Inherent risks in the debate
• Developments before World War II
• The UN Commission on Human Rights and its instruments
• The UN Human Rights Council and its instruments
• Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Its Optional Protocols
• Other UN human rights conventions and declarations
• Human rights and the Helsinki process
• Human rights in Europe
• Human rights in the Americas
• Human rights in Africa
• Human rights in the Arab world
• Human rights in Asia
• International human rights in domestic courts
• Human rights in the early 21st century

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• U. S. Department of State - Human Rights
• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Human Rights
• The History Learning Site - Human Rights
• Cornell University Law School - Human rights
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Human Rights
• Social Sciences Libretexts - Human Rights
• human rights - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• human rights - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

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human rights , rights that belong to an individual or group of individuals simply for being human, or as a consequence of inherent human vulnerability, or because they are requisite to the possibility of a just society. Whatever their theoretical justification, human rights refer to a wide continuum of values or capabilities thought to enhance human agency or protect human interests and declared to be universal in character, in some sense equally claimed for all human beings, present and future.

It is a common observation that human beings everywhere require the realization of diverse values or capabilities to ensure their individual and collective well-being. It also is a common observation that this requirement—whether conceived or expressed as a moral or a legal demand—is often painfully frustrated by social as well as natural forces, resulting in exploitation, oppression, persecution, and other forms of deprivation. Deeply rooted in these twin observations are the beginnings of what today are called “human rights” and the national and international legal processes associated with them.

Historical development

The expression human rights is relatively new, having come into everyday parlance only since World War II , the founding of the United Nations in 1945, and the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It replaced the phrase natural rights, which fell into disfavour in the 19th century in part because the concept of natural law (to which it was intimately linked) had become controversial with the rise of legal positivism . Legal positivism rejected the theory, long espoused by the Roman Catholic Church , that law must be moral to be law. The term human rights also replaced the later phrase the rights of Man, which was not universally understood to include the rights of women.

Most students of human rights trace the origins of the concept of human rights to ancient Greece and Rome , where it was closely tied to the doctrines of the Stoics , who held that human conduct should be judged according to, and brought into harmony with, the law of nature . A classic example of this view is given in Sophocles ’ play Antigone , in which the title character, upon being reproached by King Creon for defying his command not to bury her slain brother, asserted that she acted in accordance with the immutable laws of the gods.

In part because Stoicism played a key role in its formation and spread, Roman law similarly allowed for the existence of a natural law and with it—pursuant to the jus gentium (“law of nations”)—certain universal rights that extended beyond the rights of citizenship. According to the Roman jurist Ulpian , for example, natural law was that which nature, not the state, assures to all human beings, Roman citizens or not.

It was not until after the Middle Ages , however, that natural law became associated with natural rights. In Greco-Roman and medieval times, doctrines of natural law concerned mainly the duties, rather than the rights, of “Man.” Moreover, as evidenced in the writings of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas , these doctrines recognized the legitimacy of slavery and serfdom and, in so doing, excluded perhaps the most important ideas of human rights as they are understood today—freedom (or liberty) and equality .

The conception of human rights as natural rights (as opposed to a classical natural order of obligation) was made possible by certain basic societal changes, which took place gradually beginning with the decline of European feudalism from about the 13th century and continuing through the Renaissance to the Peace of Westphalia (1648). During this period, resistance to religious intolerance and political and economic bondage; the evident failure of rulers to meet their obligations under natural law; and the unprecedented commitment to individual expression and worldly experience that was characteristic of the Renaissance all combined to shift the conception of natural law from duties to rights. The teachings of Aquinas and Hugo Grotius on the European continent, the Magna Carta (1215) and its companion Charter of the Forests (1217), the Petition of Right (1628), and the English Bill of Rights (1689) in England were signs of this change. Each testified to the increasingly popular view that human beings are endowed with certain eternal and inalienable rights that never were renounced when humankind “contracted” to enter the social order from the natural order and never were diminished by the claim of the “ divine right of kings .”

Essay on Human Rights Day

Students are often asked to write an essay on Human Rights Day in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Human Rights Day

Introduction.

Human Rights Day, observed on December 10th, celebrates the universal rights everyone is entitled to as a human being.

Significance

This day is important because it reminds us of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document promoting equality, justice, and human dignity.

Activities on this day promote awareness about human rights. Schools and communities worldwide participate in events to educate people about their rights.

Human Rights Day is a call to everyone to stand up for their rights and those of others, creating a fair and just world.

250 Words Essay on Human Rights Day

Introduction to human rights day.

Human Rights Day is observed globally on 10th December each year. It commemorates the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights to which every person is inherently entitled.

Significance of Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is a reminder of our universal responsibility to protect and promote fundamental rights. It serves as a beacon, guiding us towards a world where everyone enjoys freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

The Role of UDHR

UDHR, the backbone of Human Rights Day, is the most translated document in the world, available in over 500 languages. It sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and has played a significant role in the fight against discrimination and injustice.

Human Rights Day in Today’s Context

In today’s world, marked by rising inequalities and conflicts, Human Rights Day holds greater significance. It encourages us to stand up for our rights and those of others, fostering a culture of empathy, respect, and understanding. It also serves as a call to action, urging us to address human rights violations and to strive for justice and equality.

Human Rights Day is not just a commemoration; it is a commitment to uphold human dignity and rights, a pledge to transform the principles of the UDHR into reality. It is a day that encourages us to reflect, act, and advocate for the preservation of human rights globally.

500 Words Essay on Human Rights Day

The significance of human rights day.

Human Rights Day is crucial because it highlights the importance of human rights in our daily lives. It reminds us that these rights are not privileges but inherent entitlements, crucial for living a life of dignity, respect, and freedom. The day also serves as an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made in upholding human rights and to address the challenges that still exist in fully realizing these rights for all people.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The UDHR, the centerpiece of Human Rights Day, is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights to which every human being is inherently entitled. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected, including the right to life, liberty, and security of person; freedom from slavery and torture; freedom of opinion and expression; the right to work and education, among others. The document has been translated into over 500 languages, making it the most translated document in the world, signifying its global importance and acceptance.

Human Rights in the Contemporary World

The role of individuals and institutions.

The realization of human rights is a collective responsibility that requires the active participation of individuals, communities, and institutions. As individuals, we can educate ourselves and others about human rights, stand against injustice, and advocate for policies that promote equality and justice. Institutions, on the other hand, have a crucial role in creating environments that respect and protect human rights, whether by implementing non-discriminatory policies, promoting diversity and inclusion, or holding perpetrators of human rights violations accountable.

Human Rights Day serves as a potent reminder of the importance of human rights in creating fair, just, and inclusive societies. It prompts us to reflect on our progress and challenges in upholding these rights and to recommit ourselves to the noble cause of promoting and protecting human rights for all. As we celebrate this day, let us remember that every day is Human Rights Day, and every one of us, everywhere, at all times is entitled to the full range of human rights.

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Essay On Human Rights Day

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is an annual observance celebrated every December 10th to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10th, 1948. The UDHR is a foundational document that sets out the basic human rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or any other status.

The theme for Human Rights Day 2022 was “Recover Better: Stand Up for Human Rights”, which aimed to emphasize the importance of protecting human rights during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s theme highlighted the need for all nations to prioritize human rights in their recovery efforts and ensure that their response to the pandemic does not undermine fundamental rights and freedoms.

Human rights are an essential part of our lives, and their protection is crucial for the maintenance of a just and democratic society. The UDHR sets out 30 articles that cover a wide range of rights, including the right to life, liberty, and security of person; the right to work; the right to education; and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, among others.

Despite the widespread acceptance of the UDHR, human rights violations continue to occur all over the world. On Human Rights Day, it is essential to reflect on the progress that has been made in advancing human rights, but also to acknowledge the work that remains to be done.

In conclusion, Human Rights Day serves as an important reminder of the universal value of human rights and the need to protect them. It is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and governments to stand up for human rights and work towards a world in which everyone’s rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled.

long Essay On Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is a day to recognize the fundamental human rights enshrined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a day to honor and celebrate all those who have taken a stand for justice and equality in their own countries, as well as around the world. In this article, we will explore the importance of Human Rights Day, the challenges that many still face in achieving basic human rights, and how each one of us can make a difference towards advancing these objectives. Read on for an inspiring essay on Human Rights Day!

Introduction

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 10th. The day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document that outlines the inalienable rights that every human being is entitled to regardless of race, gender, nationality, or ethnicity.

Since its inception, Human Rights Day has been used as a platform to raise awareness about human rights issues around the world and to call for action to protect and promote human rights. Every year, events are held in cities across the globe to mark the occasion. This year, let’s take a stand for human rights and make our voices heard.

What is Human Rights Day?

Human Rights Day is an international day that celebrates the fundamental human rights that everyone is entitled to. These rights include the right to life, liberty and security of person, freedom from torture and degrading treatment, the right to equality before the law, and the right to education. The day also highlights the work of human rights defenders who work tirelessly to protect these rights.

History of Human Rights Day and its Significance

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 10. The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, following the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document in the history of human rights. It sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.

Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on progress made in advancing human rights, as well as to recommit to working together to ensure that everyone enjoys the full range of rights enshrined in the Declaration. This year’s theme, chosen by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all aspects of our lives and highlighted structural inequalities around the world. The pandemic has also exposed how easy it is for existing human rights violations to intensify during crises. As we work towards recovery from this global health crisis, it is more important than ever that we stand up for human rights and build societies that are more resilient to shocks and better equipped to promote and protect everyone’s rights equally.

On Human Rights Day 2020, let us all reaffirm our commitment to building a future free from discrimination, hatred and violence, and pledge to stand up for human rights everywhere, every day.

Examples of Human Rights Violations

1. In many countries, people are denied the right to a fair trial. They may be tortured or executed without due process of law. 2. People are often forced into slave labor, with no choice in the matter and no way to escape. 3. Women and girls are subject to horrifically degrading treatment in many parts of the world, including rape, genital mutilation, and forced marriage. 4. Children are routinely subjected to violence, including physical and sexual abuse, in homes, schools, orphanages, and detention centers around the world. 5. Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people face discrimination and violence in many countries. They may be denied basic rights and protections that other citizens enjoy.

Role of Organizations and Governments in Ensuring Human Rights

Organizations and governments play a vital role in ensuring human rights. They can do this by ensuring that everyone is treated equally and fairly, by promoting and protecting human rights, and by providing support to those who need it.

Organizations and governments should make sure that everyone is treated equally and fairly. This includes ensuring that everyone has the same rights, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or any other characteristic. Everyone should also have access to the same opportunities and resources. Organizations and governments can help to ensure this by implementing policies and programs that are designed to promote equality and fairness.

Organizations and governments should also promote and protect human rights. This means speaking out against human rights violations, working to prevent them from happening, and providing support to those who have been affected by them. It also means holding those who violate human rights accountable for their actions. Organizations and governments can do this by passing laws and ratifying international treaties that protect human rights, setting up national human rights institutions, supporting civil society organizations that work on human rights issues, and more.

Finally, organizations and governments should provide support to those who need it. This includes providing financial assistance, legal aid, medical care, shelter, food, etc., to people who have been victims of human rights violations or who are at risk of suffering from them. It also includes giving refugees and asylum seekers the help they need to start new lives in safety. Organizations and governments can provide this support directly or through NGOs

Human Rights Day is an important reminder to us all of the importance of respecting and protecting human rights. It is a day that serves as a call to action, urging people around the world to defend the dignity and equality of all humans. We should use this day to reflect on our own lives and how we are contributing towards ensuring that everyone’s basic rights are respected and protected. Whether it’s through raising awareness or taking tangible steps for positive change, every one of us can take part in making sure that Human Rights Day makes a difference in our world today.

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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Human Rights Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on human rights.

Human rights are a set of rights which every human is entitled to. Every human being is inherited with these rights no matter what caste, creed, gender, the economic status they belong to. Human rights are very important for making sure that all humans get treated equally. They are in fact essential for a good standard of living in the world.

Moreover, human rights safeguard the interests of the citizens of a country. You are liable to have human rights if you’re a human being. They will help in giving you a good life full of happiness and prosperity.

Human Rights Categories

Human rights are essentially divided into two categories of civil and political rights, and social rights. This classification is important because it clears the concept of human rights further. Plus, they also make humans realize their role in different spheres.

When we talk about civil and political rights , we refer to the classic rights of humans. These rights are responsible for limiting the government’s authority that may affect any individual’s independence. Furthermore, these rights allow humans to contribute to the involvement of the government. In addition to the determination of laws as well.

Next up, the social rights of people guide the government to encourage ways to plan various ways which will help in improving the life quality of citizens. All the governments of countries are responsible for ensuring the well-being of their citizens. Human rights help countries in doing so efficiently.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Importance of Human Rights

Human rights are extremely important for the overall development of a country and individuals on a personal level. If we take a look at the basic human rights, we see how there are right to life, the right to practice any religion, freedom of movement , freedom from movement and more. Each right plays a major role in the well-being of any human.

Right to life protects the lives of human beings. It ensures no one can kill you and thus safeguards your peace of mind. Subsequently, the freedom of thought and religion allows citizens to follow any religion they wish to. Moreover, it also means anyone can think freely.

Further, freedom of movement is helpful in people’s mobilization. It ensures no one is restricted from traveling and residing in any state of their choice. It allows you to grab opportunities wherever you wish to.

Next up, human rights also give you the right to a fair trial. Every human being has the right to move to the court where there will be impartial decision making . They can trust the court to give them justice when everything else fails.

Most importantly, humans are now free from any form of slavery. No other human being can indulge in slavery and make them their slaves. Further, humans are also free to speak and express their opinion.

In short, human rights are very essential for a happy living of human beings. However, these days they are violated endlessly and we need to come together to tackle this issue. The governments and citizens must take efforts to protect each other and progress for the better. In other words, this will ensure happiness and prosperity all over the world.

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10 Tips for Writing a Human Rights Essay

Whether you are studying human rights or are building a career in the field , you will inevitably have to be skilled at writing about and for human rights. Human rights-related writing can take a variety of forms – university students embrace more academic articles while advocacy officers might spend more time with writing online campaigns or writing human rights reports. In other situations you might want to write a human rights essay. Essays need to be concise, convincing, well-researched and built on strong arguments. If you can successfully produce a human rights essay, you will be able to make a research article, a call for action, or a campaign out of it.

To excel at writing human rights essays, follow these 10 tips:

Do you want to pursue a career in human rights?

Our eBook “ Launching Your Career in Human Rights ” is an in-depth resource designed for those committed to pursuing a career in the human rights field. It covers a wide range of topics, including the types of careers available, the necessary skills and competencies, and the educational pathways that can lead to success in this sector. Whether you’re considering a master’s degree, looking for your first job, or exploring specific human rights issues, this guide offers valuable insights and practical advice. It’s a helpful tool for anyone looking to understand the complexities of working in human rights and how to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with this important work. Learn more .

1. Choose a topic you are passionate about

First and foremost, you need to find a topic you are truly passionate about. Human rights are such a broad field of study and can be linked to nearly any other subject – from history and anthropology to technology and medicine. The best way to ensure that your human rights essay will be readable and convincing is to discuss something you have knowledge of or find it easy to learn about. For example, if you are into criminology, you might want to look into the intersections and relationships between human rights and criminal justice . At the very start of the writing process, you should note down what the broad, general topic you are interested in is.

2. Do research and narrow down your topic

Once you have established the general human rights-related topic you are looking into, you will have to narrow it down in order to write an essay. Choosing to write only about human rights and criminal justice, for instance, will not result in a successful essay because both concepts are so broad. For this reason, you will have to narrow down the scope of your essay. If you are clueless about what you want to discuss more specifically, doing a general Internet search can lead you to some hints. After you have done a preliminary research on the Internet, you should be able to identify a topic that will be the central theme of your essay. By way of example, if you are looking into criminal justice, you might want to discuss the rights of defendants, the rights of victims, or prison conditions.

3. Ask concrete questions you can answer

Now that you have chosen your topic, you will need to start reading a bit more extensively about it unless you already have sufficient knowledge of the literature to start writing immediately. Reading journal articles, reports and book chapters is an essential step to get you thinking because a successful human rights essay should answer concrete questions. In other words, discussing the current literature on the topic is not sufficient to make an excellent essay. What you will need to do is find gaps in these sources, questions that are not fully answered, or under-researched issues and make your own contribution to the field by writing about them in more length. In preparation for writing, note down several questions that you find particularly relevant and important and start building your essay around them.

4. Provide your audience with a brief introduction to the topic

It is entirely up to the author to decide which parts of the essay will be written first. Some writers find it easier to build a central argument and then add an introduction to it, while others like to begin with the paragraphs that lead the reader to the main issue. Whichever order you decide to follow, it is important to skillfully craft an introduction to your topic. Allowing the reader to have a sense of the context in which the issue is placed is essential for them to fully follow your train of thought at a later stage of the essay. Ideally, in the introduction, you should give some historical background to the topic, reference what has been written before in a few sentences, explain some of the major debates on the topic, and guide your reader through the outline of the essay. In any case, your introduction should not be long as you want to leave more space for your arguments.

5. Create sub-headings for the body of your essay

Regardless of the length of your essay, you should divide the body of your essay into paragraphs and/or brief chapters. Each paragraph or chapter should have an overarching theme, something that unites your sentences. It could be a whole argument, a certain issue, or a group of examples aimed at buttressing your argument. If the format of the essay allows you to do so, add sub-headings to each of the chapters based on the issue they are discussing or the point you are trying to make. All of these together will make your essay much more readable and easier to follow for the readers. Furthermore, it will allow you to keep track of your ideas and ensure that you are not spilling the same argument repeatedly in different parts of the essay but that your thoughts are organized and clear.

6. Make the strongest argument your central point

In a human rights essay, you can present several different arguments; nevertheless, it is important to ensure that at least one of them is a truly strong, unique argument that readers have not heard before. If you provide your audience with multiple weak arguments that sound repetitive, there is a risk that the readers will abandon the essay before finishing or will simply not be convinced by the message you want to convene. Consequently, while writing, you need to identify your strongest argument and make it your central point in the essay. Comments, weaker arguments, and examples that will support the argument should all be placed around it. Your main argument should be in a form of a statement that you can paraphrase and repeat a few times towards the end of the essay. Yet, you should also be able to answer questions such as “Why is that?”, “How can you prove it?”, “Is there anyone who disagrees and why are they wrong?” to add to the strength of your argument. At the end of such a writing process, you can also incorporate references to your central argument into the title of your essay so the readers know what to expect from the very beginning.

7. Support your arguments with references

Although human rights essays allow writers to have their own voices heard more than academic articles, they should still aspire to adopt academic style referencing at least to some degree. Needless to say, your essay should be one-of-a-kind; however, that does not mean that your arguments should be entirely invented or have nothing to do what is actually being discussed by other authors. On the contrary, you make your argument more credible if you can provide a link to where you found certain information, particularly when it comes to answering questions such as where, when, or who . Moreover, it is wise to cite other authors who support some of your claims as that proves that your essay is well-researched. You may also decide to refer to articles and books where opposing arguments are presented and then try to refute them in your essay. Essentially, a human rights essay should not be filled with in-text citations and footnotes like an academic paper, but it certainly necessary to provide references to the other people’s work that helped you write it.

8. Write a general, but convincing conclusion

Having written an introduction and several short-chapters with a clear central argument as well as supporting arguments, all you need to do is come up with a brief conclusion. Writers have different styles of writing conclusions – you can phrase it in a form of a short overview of what was written or add the final comment on the topic. What is important is that your conclusion does not introduce any new ideas and arguments you cannot finish due to its length but that it more generally wraps up your entire essay. It would be wise to find a skillful way to reiterate one or more of your main points without sounding too repetitive. Conclusions also provide a perfect space to make a strong finish, show your writing skills and sound confident and convincing.

And a few extra tips:

9. Place your argument within a legal framework

Fulfilling the eight steps listed above is essential to write a human rights essay that is publishable, readable, and can help you get a good mark at school. To ensure that your human rights essay is truly excellent, it is also useful to look into the law. Human rights do not necessarily have to be discussed through a legal sciences lens, but they are inevitably protected and promoted through domestic, regional, and international laws. Therefore, by placing your topic within a legal framework, you truly show that you master several disciplines and that your arguments are based on practice as well as on theory. To do that, find an appropriate framework that fits your context – it could be a combination of domestic and international legal documents, their applications and differences, or only one particular law, depending on what you are writing about. In accordance with your legal knowledge, you might want to discuss the applicable legal frameworks in more detail, or simply use them as a reference to buttress your arguments.

10. Use specific examples

What can truly help your case in a human rights essay is finding a concrete example to demonstrate how theory does or does not work in practice. By doing so, you build a strong support for your argument and you also allow your readers to relate to what you are saying on a more emotional level, helping them visualize a certain human rights issue. For example, if you are making a recommendation on how to improve prison conditions in a particular country to better respect the rights of prisoners, it could be good to find a country or a community where some of the aspects you are suggesting have been implemented in prisons and this has fostered a more human rights-respecting environment. To find such an example, turn into the grassroots, do a research on local initiatives or contact non-governmental organizations working in places you are writing about.

We hope these tips will guide you to create an excellent human rights essay. To see how it all works in practice for some of the most prominent human rights authors, take a look at these inspiring human rights essays.

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About the author, maja davidovic.

Maja Davidovic is a Serbian-born independent researcher and Human Rights graduate. She holds her M.A. degree from Central European University in Budapest, and had previously lived and worked in Greece, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Maja mostly researches about women’s rights, child protection and transitional justice, and has been involved with organizations such as MSF and OSCE, as well grassroots initiatives. You may follow her on her newly-made Twitter profile @MajaADavidovic, where she aspires to open discussions on a variety of human rights-related issues.

What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day

Let’s look into the significance of  Human Rights Day  in South Africa . As your teacher, tutor or writer, I’ll guide you on how to structure your “ What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day ” essay or assignment effectively to earn top marks for South African curriculum. Remember, clarity, connection and flowing paragraphs and a well-organised argument are important.

Writing an essay on the purpose of Human Rights Day in South Africa is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the significance of this day and its relevance to the history and current context of South Africa.

Here are some guidelines to help you structure your essay effectively and achieve the highest marks:

Understand the Question “What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day” correctly.

Let us look at the magic term: What is . When a question begins with “What is,” it’s asking for a definition or explanation of a concept, object, or phenomenon. You should provide a clear and straightforward description or meaning from South African point of view.

Essay Structure of What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day

• Briefly introduce Human Rights Day and its significance globally and in South Africa.
• Present the thesis statement outlining the main purpose of the essay.
• Discuss the historical context of human rights violations in South Africa, particularly during the apartheid era.
• Explain the role of the international community and South African activists in advocating for human rights.
• Explain how and when Human Rights Day was established in South Africa.
• Discuss the significance of December 10th (NOT 21 March), the date the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations.
• Discuss the importance of raising awareness about human rights.
• Highlight the role of Human Rights Day in promoting unity, understanding, and respect among diverse communities in South Africa.
• Explain how Human Rights Day serves as a reminder of the past and a call to action for the future.
• Summarize the main points discussed in the essay.
• Restate the importance of Human Rights Day in South Africa’s history and its ongoing relevance today.

✓✓(500 words) Answer for What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day essay

Introduction for what is the purpose of human rights day essay.

Human Rights Day is a  pivotal  public holiday in South Africa, observed annually on  March 21st . It serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made during the struggle for democracy. In this essay, we will explore the historical context, the tragic event that sparked its commemoration, and the enduring importance of Human Rights Day.

The Sharpeville Massacre: A Turning Point

On that fateful day in  1960 , the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) organised a peaceful protest in  Sharpeville , where women, men, and children gathered without their mandatory passes (known colloquially as “Dompas”). These passes were instruments of apartheid-era control, restricting the movement of people of colour. The protest aimed to challenge this oppressive system.

However, the peaceful demonstration turned into a horrifying tragedy. South African police opened fire on the crowd, resulting in the deaths of  69 people  and injuries to  180 others . Most victims were shot in the back as they tried to flee the hail of bullets. This brutal event became known as the  Sharpeville Massacre .

The Birth of Human Rights Day

In the aftermath of this tragedy, the apartheid government declared a  State of Emergency  and banned both the PAC and the African National Congress (ANC). But the spirit of resistance persisted underground. Ordinary people continued to fight for their fundamental rights, even in the face of violence and repression.

When South Africa held its first democratic election in  1994 , the newly elected president,  Nelson Mandela , officially designated  March 21st  as  Human Rights Day . This date symbolises the unwavering commitment to human rights and the collective struggle for freedom.

Honouring the Heroes

Human Rights Day pays homage to those who stood up against injustice. It honours the brave souls who faced police brutality, imprisonment, and loss of life. These heroes fought not only for themselves but for future generations. They believed in a South Africa where every citizen could enjoy dignity, equality, and freedom.

The Ongoing Struggle

Human Rights Day is not merely a historical marker; it’s a call to action. It reminds us that the fight for justice, equality, and human dignity continues. As we commemorate this day, we must reflect on our responsibilities as citizens. We must advocate for the rights of all, regardless of race, gender, or background.

In conclusion, Human Rights Day stands as a testament to the resilience of the South African people. It reminds us that freedom is hard-won and that we must safeguard it for future generations. Let us honour the memory of those who sacrificed everything for our rights, and let us continue the struggle for a just and equitable society.

✓✓Marking guideline for Essay on “What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day in South Africa?”

Tips for Scoring High Marks for What Is The Purpose Of Human Rights Day essay

• Ensure that your essay is well-structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Provide relevant examples and evidence to support your arguments.
• Use clear and concise language, and proofread your essay to eliminate any grammatical or spelling errors.
• Maintain a logical flow and coherence throughout the essay.

Shama Nathoo

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"Why Human Rights?": Reflection by Eleni Christou

This post is the first installment from UChicago Law's International Human Rights Law Clinic in a series titled — The Matter of Human Rights. In this 16-part series, law students examine, question and reflect on the historical, ideological, and normative roots of the human rights system, how the system has evolved, its present challenges and future possibilities. Eleni Christou is a third year in the Law School at the University of Chicago.

Why Human Rights?

By: Eleni Christou University of Chicago Law School Class of 2019

When the term “human rights” is used, it conjures up, for some, powerful images of the righteous fight for the inalienable rights that people have just by virtue of being human. It is Martin Luther King Jr. before the Washington monument as hundreds of thousands gather and look on; it is Nelson Mandela’s long walk to freedom; or a 16-year-old Malala telling her story, so others like her may be heard. But what is beyond these archetypes? Does the system work? Can we make it work better? Is it even the right system for our times? In other words, why human rights?

Human rights are rights that every person has from the moment they are born to the moment they die. They are things that everyone is entitled to, such as life, liberty, freedom of expression, and the right to education, just by virtue of being human. People can never lose these rights on the basis of age, sex, nationality, race, or disability. Human rights offer us a principled framework, rooted in normative values meant for all nations and legal orders. In a world order in which states/governments set the rules, the human rights regime is the counterweight, one concerned with and focused on the individual. In other words, we need human rights because it provides us a way of evaluating and challenging national laws and practices as to the treatment of individuals.

The foundational human right text for our modern-day system is the  Universal Declaration of Human Rights . Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December, 1948, this document lays out 30 articles which define the rights each human is entitled to. These rights are designed to protect core human values and prohibit institutions and practices that are contrary to the enjoyment of the rights. Rights often complement each other, and at times, can be combined to form new rights. For example, humans have a right to liberty, and also a right to be free from slavery, two rights which complement and reinforce each other. Other times, rights can be in tension, like when a person’s right to freedom of expression infringes upon another’s right to freedom from discrimination.

In this post, I’ll provide an example of how the human rights system has been used to do important work. The international communities’ work to develop the law and organize around human rights principles to challenge and sanction the apartheid regime in South Africa provides a valuable illustration of how the human rights system can be used successfully to alleviate state human rights violations that previously would have been written off as a domestic matter.

From 1948 to 1994, South Africa had a system of racial segregation called ‘ apartheid ,’ literally meaning ‘separateness.’ The minority white population was committing blatant human rights violations to maintain their control over the majority black population, and smaller multiethnic and South Asian communities. This system of apartheid was codified in laws at every level of the country, restricting where non-whites could live, work, and simply be. Non-whites were stripped of  voting rights ,  evicted from their homes  and forced into segregated neighborhoods, and not allowed to travel out of these neighborhoods without  passes . Interracial marriage was forbidden, and transport and civil facilities were all segregated, leading to extremely inferior services for the majority of South Africans. The horrific conditions imposed on non-whites led to  internal resistance movements , which the white ruling class responded to with  extreme violence , leaving thousands dead or imprisoned by the government.

While certain global leaders expressed concern about the Apartheid regime in South Africa, at first, most (including the newly-formed UN) considered it a domestic affair. However, that view changed in 1960 following the  Sharpeville Massacre , where 69 protesters of the travel pass requirement were murdered by South African police. In 1963, the United Nations Security Council passed  Resolution 181 , which called for a voluntary arms embargo against South Africa, which was later made mandatory. The Security Council condemned South Africa’s apartheid regime and encouraged states not to “indirectly [provide] encouragement . . . [of] South Africa to perpetuate, by force, its policy of apartheid,” by participating in the embargo. During this time, many countries, including the United States, ended their arms trade with South Africa. Additionally, the UN urged an oil embargo, and eventually  suspended South Africa  from the General Assembly in 1974.

In 1973, the UN General Assembly passed the  International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid , and it came into force in 1976. This convention made apartheid a crime against humanity. It expanded the prohibition of apartheid and similar policies outside of the South African context, and laid the groundwork for international actions to be taken against any state that engaged in these policies. This also served to further legitimize the international response to South Africa’s apartheid regime.

As the state-sanctioned violence in South Africa intensified, and the global community came to understand the human rights violation being carried out on a massive scale, countries worked domestically to place trade sanctions on South Africa, and many divestment movements gained popular support. International sports teams refused to play in South Africa and cut ties with their sports federations, and many actors engaged in cultural boycotts. These domestic actions worked in tandem with the actions taken by the United Nations, mirroring the increasingly widespread ideology that human rights violations are a global issue that transcend national boundaries, but are an international concern of all peoples.

After years of domestic and international pressure, South African leadership released the resistance leader Nelson Mandela in 1990 and began negotiations for the dismantling of apartheid. In 1994, South Africa’s apartheid officially ended with the first general elections. With universal suffrage, Nelson Mandela was elected president.

In a  speech to the UN General Assembly , newly elected Nelson Mandela recognized the role that the UN and individual countries played in the ending of apartheid, noting these interventions were a success story of the human rights system. The human rights values embodied in the UDHR, the ICSPCA, and numerous UN Security Council resolutions, provided an external normative and legal framework by which the global community could identify unlawful state action and hold South Africa accountable for its system of apartheid. The international pressure applied via the human rights system has been considered a major contributing factor to the end of apartheid. While the country has not fully recovered from the trauma that decades of the apartheid regime had left on its people, the end of the apartheid formal legal system has allowed the country to begin to heal and move towards a government that works for all people, one that has openly embraced international human rights law and principles in its constitutional and legislative framework.

This is what a human rights system can do. When state governments and legal orders fail to protect people within their control, the international system can challenge the national order and demand it uphold a basic standard of good governance. Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the human rights system has grown, tackled new challenges, developed institutions for review and enforcement, and built a significant body of law. Numerous tools have been established to help states, groups, and individuals defend and protect human rights.

So why human rights? Because the human rights system has been a powerful force for good in this world, often the only recourse for marginalized and minority populations. We, as the global community, should work to identify shortcomings in the system, and work together to improve and fix them. We should not —  as the US has been doing under the current administration  — selectively withdraw, defund, and disparage one of the only tools available to the world’s most vulnerable peoples. The human rights system is an arena, a language, and a source of power to many around the world fighting for a worthwhile future built on our shared human values.

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Human Rights Day Essay

Human rights are described as fundamental rights, freedom and entitlements that everyone is entitled to. They are set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, widely accepted and ratified by the international community. Reading BYJU’S Human Rights Day essay allows the little ones to understand the importance of knowing human rights.

Human Rights Day is an international day of importance, commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Every year on December 10, the United Nations General Assembly observes the day to remember and draw people’s attention to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Human rights are the main focus of the United Nations, and there is no way to ensure world peace without them. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document that spells out a person’s rights to life, liberty, and security. These rights ensure freedom from discrimination in all aspects of life.

Human Rights are the basic rights we have been given to ensure our safety and protection. They are universal, which means they apply to everyone without exception, regardless of race, sex, gender, age or nationality.

Importance of Human Rights

Now, let us read about the importance of human rights by referring to BYJU’S Human Rights Day essay in English. Human rights are necessary because they protect people from the abuse of power and make sure that everyone has the same opportunities. Human rights also help improve society and people of different backgrounds, especially those belonging to vulnerable sections.

Human rights are essential for all countries which signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. These rights cover fundamental liberties such as freedom of speech , expression, religion, and press. They also provide people with the right to life, freedom, security and safety.

Human rights are essential in today’s world. Every person has an inherent right to life, liberty, and security. These rights prevent people from being killed, enslaved, abused, or persecuted.

Why is Human Rights Day Celebrated?

After learning the importance of human rights, let us now understand why celebrating Human Rights Day is important by referring to a short essay on Human Rights Day. Human Rights Day is celebrated to remind people of their basic rights as humans. It is also a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to protect these rights.

Human Rights Day makes it easy for people to remember the importance of human rights. It’s a day that recognises the struggles and sacrifices of those who fought for the rights that we all enjoy now.

It is also a time to reflect on how far we have come as humans and remind ourselves of everyone’s human rights. The day is celebrated across the globe to raise awareness of human rights, commemorate those who have died, and educate everyone on the importance of human rights.

National Human Rights Commission of India

India’s National Human Rights Commission is a statutory body established in October 1993. It is an establishment set up to protect human rights throughout incredible India . BYJU’S Human Rights Day essay explains the functions of the National Human Rights Commission in simple words.

The commission has its headquarters in New Delhi and is currently headed by the former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Arun Kumar Mishra.

The National Human Rights Commission’s functions are to monitor and review human rights violations and take appropriate remedial measures. It is also empowered to investigate complaints and conduct inquiries into related matters.

To conclude, human rights are a universal set of social, civil and political standards that are intended to ensure basic standards of life for all human beings. Being aware of human rights is an important aspect of everyone’s lives. For more stories , worksheets , poems etc., visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is human rights day celebrated.

Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10 every year.

What are the functions of the Human Rights Commission in India?

The National Human Rights Commission was created to investigate human rights violations and prevent any such violations in the country. It also investigates complaints and conducts inquiries on matters of human rights.

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• Speech on Human Rights Day

Speech on Human Rights Day for Students

Every human being is deserving of the right to live in a safe place and earn a living. Even then in today’s global climate, many people are threatened to be robbed of their homes and basic rights. And in this pursuit, to inflict pain through various means one never feels safe. And for the very reason of injustices like this Human Rights Day is observed to allow these people the power to seek opportunities they are deserving of without feeling threatened. Human Rights Day speech can be given in different ways. This article entails a Long Speech on Human Rights Day and a Short Human Rights Day Speech.

Long Human Rights Day Speech

This format of a long 5-minute speech can be useful for students in grades 8-12 as they can discuss in detail the importance of this day and convey the message.

Good Morning, everyone, I am here to speak on a very crucial topic that is gaining even more attention today than ever before Human Rights and Human Rights Day. 73 years ago in 1948 on December 10th UN (United Nations), General Assembly adopted the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The proper implementation was not until they passed the official invitation to all the States and interested organisations after the approval of the Assembly in 1950. Since then, this day is annually commemorated for the celebration of Human Rights.

Today the world that we live in is divided by so many opinions and discriminations against gender, race, caste, and religion. The ones who are at the brunt of the receiving end of this harshness are the innocent children. Every child and human being deserves equal treatment in any room they enter regardless of their ethnicity and colour or gender.

Since we don’t live in an ideal world, the human rights of these discriminated people are under threat and they are only struggling and in doing so many have lost their lives as well. So to safeguard their interests and review the complaints of Human Rights Violation, the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) is a body in India. It functions with similar objectives and aims to accomplish these missions like institutions for Human Rights in the world. It is a recommendatory body of constitution formed with the conformity of Principles of Paris. It acts according to the guidelines passed by the Government for the PHRA (Protection of Human Rights Act).

The main objective is to end human rights violations where some people are deprived of basic requirements like food, shelter, education, hygiene, and a safe place to grow and create opportunities for growth. This is a step in the direction to maintain peace and sanity in this ever-growing greedy and violent world. And it takes part in the Global Event wherein people celebrate the goodness in differences of the human beings and people who make an effort and an extra step to fight for this right also get awarded. It is a 5-yearly tradition that they award the United Nations Peace Prize in the Field of Human Rights and the Nobel Peace Prize. One such brave recipient of this award is Malala Yousafzai, a young girl who stood up against the Taliban who were depriving young children, especially girls of education. And during her fight, she managed to survive a gunshot and is still taking over the world and raising funds for educating girls.

Her efforts and achievements are truly noteworthy and deserving of all the praises and awards. Whenever we encounter any such violation of human rights in our lives, let’s be inspired enough to take a step to end this and celebrate the rights to be in peace and harmony.

Short Speech on Human Rights Day

This form of a Short Human Rights Day Speech is helpful for students in grades 4-7 to convey the importance of this day in brief.

Good morning everyone, I Abc (mention your name) feel honoured to be here today and talk about Human Rights Day. We are very fortunate to have a home, a roof over our heads, food, and are able to come to school safely. These are basic human rights and every being is deserving of this. But in so many places around the world people are robbed of their right to shelter, food, and even education, the most concerning being the safety of girls.

The United Nations is a body that has taken the responsibility to safeguard the rights of the victims of this violation on 10th December 1948, 73 years ago the UN General Assembly approved Article 423 (V) and declared the celebration of Human Rights Day. It was in 1950 that the invitation was officially extended to other States and organisations whose values and aims matched the objectives of UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

Bringing harmony and peace into the world by observing and trying to eliminate the problems and complaints received from people who are facing the brutalities of violation of Human Rights. This day is celebrated worldwide to commemorate the proclamation made by the UN in 1948 on December 10.

The Indian Government confers the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) and under the conformity of Principles of Paris, NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) is formed.

It’s important to be aware of the state in our country and take a step to fight against what’s wrong so human rights are intact and served right for the purpose.

10 Line Speech on Human Rights Day

This is a 2-minute Speech on Human Rights helpful to convey the idea and meaning to students in grades 1-3.

Human Rights Day is observed and celebrated on 10th December every year worldwide.

It is on this day in the year 1948, the United Nations acknowledged and proclaimed in their General Assembly to observe the celebration of human rights.

Other states and interested organisations who also work for safeguarding human rights and ending the violations were extended the invitations.

And the work actively started in the year 1950.

The Indian body that works extensively in this regard with the United Nations is  NHRC (National Human Rights Commission).

It was formed following the Principles of Paris.

NHRC also abides by the ideologies of the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) stated by the Government of India.

The primary objective is to keep safe from discrimination with regards to any type of differences like race, religion, caste, and creed.

The rights are basic and universal like the right to life, free from discrimination, torture, slavery, and degrading treatment.

Any type of violation is a harm and threat to humankind and each step taken in the direction to protect these rights is in the interest of peace which is the need of the hour.

FAQs on Speech on Human Rights Day

1. What is the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”?

The “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” is an international document adopted by the UN assembly on the date of December 10, 1948, as Resolution 217 during its third session. The document entails the basic rights and freedoms of all human beings. At that time, from the 58 members present at the United Nations at the time, 48 voted in favour, none voted against it, eight abstained, and two did not vote. The declaration consists of a complete 30 articles explaining in detail the "basic rights and fundamental freedoms" of human beings.

2. What are the basic human rights provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? 

There are a total of 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which included the "basic rights and fundamental freedoms" of a human being. A simplified version of these rights, which are included in these 30 articles are given below: 

All human beings are born Free and Equal, everyone has the right to be treated in the same way.

Don’t discriminate against any human beings, whatever our differences.

Everybody has the right to live in freedom and safety.

Having or making slaves is not accepted.

Nobody has the right to hurt or torture anybody.

All the rights written in the declaration should be respected everywhere.

Everybody should be treated equally before the law.

Nobody can put a person in jail or detain him/her without any good reason. Neither one can send the person away from his/her country.

You should be able to ask the law and law agencies to help if any of your human rights are threatened.

The person under trial has the right to have a free and fair public trial. The judges of the trial should not tell anyone what to do or not.

Everyone should respect this statement “Proven till guilty”. A person under trial is not a criminal until he/she is proven to be guilty of a wrong deed.

Everyone has their right to privacy, one can’t interfere with the other person’s privacy, nobody can bother you or your family without good reason.

A person can live wherever he/she wants to in their country and travel to wherever they want to.

If a person’s country can’t provide a safe place to live, then the person can seek asylum in other countries.

We also have the right to belong to a country and have a Nationality.

3. When is Human Rights Day celebrated?

Human Rights Day is celebrated on the occasion of the adoption of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” by the UN assembly as Resolution 217 during its third session on the date of December 10, 1948. This “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” entails the fundamental rights of human beings who live on the planet. This document “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” is translated into more than 500 languages, hence holding the Guinness World Record for the most translated document throughout the world.

4. Why is 10th December celebrated as Human Rights Day?

Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10 December annually across the world to celebrate the adoption of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” by the UN assembly as Resolution 217. 48 out of 58 countries that were present at the United Nations, voted in favour of this document named “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.

It is celebrated in order to acknowledge this “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” as to acknowledge the rights that are provided to every human being living on mother earth. To discuss the issues which harm these basic rights of human beings in any or sense anywhere around the globe.

5. What is the theme for Human Rights Day 2021 and 2020?

The theme of Human Rights Day 2021 was “equality”. As in today's world, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The Human Rights Day of 2021, is to discuss how to deal with inequality.

In the year 2020, the theme of Human Rights Day was "Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights". The year 2020 was the year of COVID-19 and hence, the Human Rights Day theme was how to recover from the pandemic.

Search the United Nations

• Know your rights!
• Women who shaped the UDHR
• UN Observances

The Universal Declaration shows the way to common values and approaches that can help resolve tensions and create the security and stability our world craves." UN Secretary-General António Guterres

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 75

10 December 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world's most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  (UDHR). This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

The Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 and sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.  

Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.

A year-long initiative focusing on universality, progress and engagement, will culminate in a high-level event in December 2023, which will announce global pledges and ideas for a vision for the future of human rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights.

2023 Theme: Freedom, Equality and Justice for All

In the decades since the  adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  (UDHR) in 1948, human rights have become more recognised and more guaranteed across the globe. The UDHR has since served as the foundation for an expanding system of human rights protection that today focuses also on vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and migrants.

However, the promise of the UDHR, of dignity and equality in rights, has been under a sustained assault in recent years. As the world faces challenges new and ongoing – pandemics, conflicts, exploding inequalities, morally bankrupt global financial system, racism, climate change – the values, and rights enshrined in the UDHR provide guideposts for our collective actions that do not leave anyone behind.

The year-long Human Rights 75 initiative seeks to shift the needle of understanding and action towards greater knowledge of the universality of the UDHR and the activism associated with it.

The UDHR enshrines the rights of all human beings.

From the right to education to equal pay, UDHR established for the first time the indivisible and inalienable rights of all humanity.

As a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”, the UDHR is a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies and a bedrock of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development explicitly recognizes it is grounded in UDHR and has to be implemented in a manner that realizes human rights.

The UDHR has inspired many struggles for stronger human rights protection and helped them to be more recognized.

In the (nearly) 75 years since the proclamation of the UDHR, human rights have advanced. However, progress does not mean the fight for rights and equality ever ends. 

Whenever and wherever humanity's values are abandoned, we all are at greater risk. The solutions to today’s greatest crises are rooted in human rights.

Rights violations reverberate across borders and across generations. These can be, must be, collectively overcome.

We need to stand up for our rights and those of others.

The UDHR calls upon everybody to stand up for human rights. We all have a role to play.

We need an economy that invests in human rights and works for everyone.

We need to renew the social contract between Governments and their people and within societies, so as to rebuild trust and embrace a shared and comprehensive vision of human rights on the road to a just and sustainable development.

• 75th anniversary website
• 75th anniversary resources
• 75th anniversary key messages

Youth and Human Rights 75 initiative

Given that young people face particular challenges in exercising their rights, while often being at the forefront of human rights activism, youth engagement is a key component of the initiative. To ensure such engagement, OHCHR established a Youth Advisory Group, which participates in the design, implementation and follow-up of Human Rights 75 activities. Find out more about these 12 remarkable young people

UN digital ambassador Elyx animates the UDHR

To mark the 75th anniversary of the UDHR in December 2023, the United Nations has partnered once again with French digital artist YAK (Yacine Ait Kaci) – whose illustrated character Elyx is the first digital ambassador of the United Nations – on an animated version of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

UN Exhibits on Human Rights

Explore the works of talented amateur and professional photographers from exhibitions for the general public that have been showcased over the years at United Nations Headquarters. Some of the human rights topics covered are indigenous peoples' rights, the Nazi genocide of the Roma and Sinti, sexual violence in conflict, and the plight of the Palestinian people.

Why do we mark International Days?

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances .

An Introduction to Human Rights

Human rights are a set of principles concerned with equality and fairness.

They are not a recent invention - ideas about rights and responsibilities have been an important part of all societies throughout history. Since the end of World War II, there has been a united effort by the nations of the world to decide what rights belong to all people and how they can best be promoted and protected.

What are Human Rights?

Every person has dignity and value . One of the ways that we recognise the fundamental worth of every person is by acknowledging and respecting their human rights.

Human rights are a set of principles concerned with equality and fairness . They recognise our freedom to make choices about our lives and to develop our potential as human beings. They are about living a life free from fear, harassment or discrimination.

Human rights can broadly be defined as a number of basic rights that people from around the world have agreed are essential. These include the right to life, the right to a fair trial, freedom from torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the rights to health, education and an adequate standard of living.

These human rights are the same for all people everywhere – men and women, young and old, rich and poor, regardless of our background, where we live, what we think or what we believe. This is what makes human rights ‘ universa l’.

Who has a responsibility to protect human rights?

Human rights connect us to each other through a shared set of rights and responsibilities .

A person’s ability to enjoy their human rights depends on other people respecting those rights. This means that human rights involve responsibility and duties towards other people and the community. Individuals have a responsibility to ensure that they exercise their rights with consideration for the rights of others. For example, when someone uses their right to freedom of speech, they should do so without interfering with someone else’s right to privacy.

Governments have a particular responsibility to ensure that people are able to enjoy their rights. They are required to establish and maintain laws and services that enable people to enjoy a life in which their rights are respected and protected.

For example, the right to education says that everyone is entitled to a good education. This means that governments have an obligation to provide good quality education facilities and services to their people. Whether or not governments actually do this, it is generally accepted that this is the government's responsibility and people can call them to account if they fail to respect or protect their basic human rights.

What do human rights cover?

Human rights cover virtually every area of human activity.

They include civil and political rights , which refer to a person’s rights to take part in the civil and political life of their community without discrimination or oppression. These include rights and freedoms such as the right to vote, the right to privacy, freedom of speech and freedom from torture.

The right to vote and take part in choosing a government is a civil and political right.

They also include economic, social and cultural rights , which relate to a person’s rights to prosper and grow and to take part in social and cultural activities. This group includes rights such as the right to health, the right to education and the right to work.

The right to education is an example of an economic, social and cultural right.

One of the main differences between these two groups of rights is that, in the case of civil and political rights, governments must make sure that they, or any other group, are not denying people access to their rights, whereas in relation to economic, social and cultural rights, governments must take active steps to ensure rights are being fulfilled. 

As well as belonging to every individual, there are some rights that also belong to groups of people. This is often in recognition of the fact that these groups have been disadvantaged and marginalised throughout history and consequently need greater protection of their rights. These rights are called collective rights . For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples possess collective rights to their ancestral lands, which are known as native title rights. 

Rights that can only apply to individuals, for example the right to a fair trial, are called individual rights .

Where do human rights come from?

The origins of human rights.

Human rights are not a recent invention. This page offers a brief human rights timeline .

Throughout history, concepts of ethical behaviour, justice and human dignity have been important in the development of human societies. These ideas can be traced back to the ancient civilisations of Babylon, China and India. They contributed to the laws of Greek and Roman society and are central to Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, Hindu, Islamic and Jewish teachings. Concepts of ethics, justice and dignity were also important in societies which have not left written records, but consist of oral histories such as those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and other indigenous societies elsewhere. 

Ideas about justice were prominent in the thinking of philosophers in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. An important strand in this thinking was that there was a 'natural law' that stood above the law of rulers. This meant that individuals had certain rights simply because they were human beings.

In 1215, the English barons forced the King of England to sign Magna Carta (which is Latin for ‘the Great Charter’). Magna Carta was the first document to place limits on the absolute power of the king and make him accountable to his subjects. It also laid out some basic rights for the protection of citizens, such as the right to a trial.

Significant development in thinking about human rights took place in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, during a time of revolution and emerging national identities. 

The American Declaration of Independence (1776) was based on the understanding that certain rights, such as ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness', were fundamental to all people. Similarly, t he French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789) challenged the authority of the aristocracy and recognised the ‘liberty, equality and fraternity' of individuals. These values were also echoed in the United States’ Bill of Rights (1791), which recognised freedom of speech, religion and the press, as well as the right to ‘peaceable' assembly, private property and a fair trial.

The development of modern human rights

The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw continuing advances in social progress, for example, in the abolition of slavery, the widespread provision of education and the extension of political rights. Despite these advances, international activity on human rights remained weak. The general attitude was that nations could do what they liked within their borders and that other countries and the broader international community had no basis for intervening or even raising concerns when rights were violated. 

This is expressed in the term ‘ state sovereignty ’, which refers to the idea that whoever has the political authority within a country has the power to rule and pass laws over that territory. Importantly, countries agree to mutually recognise this sovereignty. In doing so, they agree to refrain from interfering in the internal or external affairs of other sovereign states. 

However, the atrocities and human rights violations that occurred during World War II galvanised worldwide opinion and made human rights a universal concern. 

Word War II onwards

During World War II millions of soldiers and civilians were killed or maimed. The Nazi regime in Germany created concentration camps for certain groups - including Jews, communists, homosexuals and political opponents. Some of these people were used as slave labour, others were exterminated in mass executions. The Japanese occupation of China and other Asian countries was marked by frequent and large-scale brutality toward local populations. Japanese forces took thousands of prisoners of war who were used as slave labour, with no medical treatment and inadequate food.

The promotion and protection of human rights became a fundamental objective of the Allied powers. In 1941, U.S. President Roosevelt proclaimed the ' Four Freedoms ' that people everywhere in the world ought to enjoy - freedom of speech and belief, and freedom from want and fear. 

The war ended in 1945, but only after the destruction of millions of lives, including through the first and only use of atomic weapons at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many countries were devastated by the war, and millions of people died or became homeless refugees. 

The United Nations

A new organisation, the United Nations , known as the UN, came into existence in 1945. A s the war drew to a close, the victorious powers decided to establish a world organisation that would prevent further conflict and help build a better world.

The UN was created to fulfil four key aims:

• to ensure peace and security
• to promote economic development
• t o promote the development of international law
• to ensure the observance of human rights.

In the UN Charter – the UN’s founding document – the countries of the United Nations stated that they were determined:

"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small … and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom." 

The UN's strong emphasis on human rights made it different from previous international organisations. UN member countries believed that the protection of human rights would help ensure freedom, justice and peace for all in the future. 

Read more about the work of United Nations on The International Human Rights System page .

Why are human rights important?

Values of tolerance, equality and respect can help reduce friction within society. Putting human rights ideas into practice can helps us create the kind of society we want to live in. 

In recent decades, there has been a tremendous growth in how we think about and apply human rights ideas. This has had many positive results - knowledge about human rights can empower individuals and offer solutions for specific problems . 

Human rights are an important part of how people interact with others at all levels in society - in the family, the community, schools, the workplace, in politics and in international relations. It is vital therefore that people everywhere should strive to understand what human rights are. When people better understand human rights, it is easier for them to promote justice and the well-being of society. 

Can my human rights be taken away from me?

A person's human rights cannot be taken away. In its final Article, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that no State, group or person 

[has] 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 doesn't mean that abuses and violations of human rights don't occur. On television and in newspapers every day we hear tragic stories of murder, violence, racism, hunger, unemployment, poverty, abuse, homelessness and discrimination. 

However, the Universal Declaration and other human rights treaties are more than just noble aspirations. They are essential legal principles. To meet their international human rights obligations, many nations have incorporated these principles into their own laws. This provides an opportunity for individuals to have a complaint settled by a court in their own country. 

Individuals from some countries may also be able to take a complaint of human rights violations to a United Nations committee of experts, which would then give its opinion. 

In addition, education about human rights is just as important as having laws to protect people. Long term progress can really only be made when people are aware of what human rights are and what standards exist.

Further reading

• Review the latest News from the Australian Human Rights Commission.
• Have Your Say on the current inquiries, projects and conversations about human rights in Australia.
• Face the Facts and learn about the Australian Human Rights Commission's key areas of work.
• Find out more about how the Australian Human Rights Commission was established.

Human Rights Essay, with Outline

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Human Rights Sample Essay Outline

Introduction.

Thesis: Human rights guarantee equal treatment of all people irrespective of their color, gender, religion or nationality.

Paragraph 1:

Every human being is entitled to all human rights upon their conception.

• All persons are entitled to their human rights without discrimination.
• Universal human rights under the international law dictate the responsibilities of state governments and list the practices that they should cease from to promote rights and freedoms of their people.
• Human rights are unchallengeable.
• Human rights violation such as human trafficking are severely punished.

Paragraph 2: 

In the U.S., the Constitution protects human rights through the 9th Amendment.

• The amendment states that “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”
• The “certain rights” here are those that are taken care of or protected through other amendments in the Bill of Rights.

Paragraph 3:

Human rights are symbiotic and inseparable.

• Human rights are interdependent.
• Improvement of one human right translates to development of all, and deprivation one is a deprivation of all.

Paragraph 4:

Human rights facilitate peaceful living for all individuals.

• Human rights are not for the oppressed but all individuals.
• Human rights protect individuals in their day to day activities.
• Freedom of expression gives ordinary people the power to condemn acts of the powerful as well as oppose abuse of power by state governments.

Paragraph 5:

Human rights came to be universally accepted after World War II.

• Sources of human rights include Magna Carta 1215 , the United States Constitution and bill of rights in 1791, and the French declaration of human rights in 1789.
• United Nations played a significant role in the establishment of the international laws, which enforce human rights.

Paragraph 6:

The League of Nations first raised concern over abuse of human rights after the First World War.

• The push for human rights bore fruits after the World War II when the Nazis killed more than 6million Jews, disabled people, and homosexuals.
• State governments formed the United Nations to help prevent interstate conflicts and promote peace.

Paragraph 7:

In 1941, President Franklin Delano in his speech to the United Nations Congress mentioned the need for established of four central freedoms, which were freedom of religion, expression, and freedom from fear and want.

• In 1945 the United Nations Charter was drafted.
• A commission on human rights was formed to come up with a document containing a declaration of all human rights.
• A restatement of the thesis statement
• A summary of the main points
• A take-away  statement  made based on presented facts or information  

Human rights essay – informative essay about human rights, history, what it is, etc. 

A Sample Essay on Human Rights

The world is made up of people with different characters. People are divided into the three social classes: the rich, the middle class, and the poor. There are people who hold positions of power and leadership while others are ruled or governed. In spite of these differences, all human beings are equal and should be treated equally. However, there some people, particularly those in positions of power, who may use their influence to mistreat others. Human rights exist to prevent those in power and ordinary people from abusing others. In this regard, human rights guarantee equal treatment of all people irrespective of their color, gender, religion, or nationality.

Every human being regardless of their gender, color, nationality, and religion are born with their rights. All persons are entitled to their human rights without discrimination (Hoffman, 2016). Laws and treaties enforce human rights, and the universal law on human rights ensures that no person or government abuses the rights of another human being (Hoffman, 2016). Universal human rights under the international law dictate the responsibilities of governments and list the practices that they should cease from in order to promote the rights and freedoms of their people. The international law provides that human rights are collective and unchallengeable (Hoffman, 2016). All countries from around the world have approved at least one or more of the four universal treaties of human rights.

In the United States for example, the Constitution protects human rights through the 9th Amendment. This amendment states that “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people” (Schmitt, 2010). The “certain rights” here are those that are taken care of or protected through other amendments in the Bill of Rights. However, there are also “others retained by the people,” and they include all other human rights that should be naturally enjoyed by a free people. A good example of these other rights are “the “unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” identified by the Declaration of Independence” (Schmitt, 2010). They additionally include such natural rights as the right to defense of family and self, property, privacy, thought, communication, work, travel, education, and free association. In other terms, they are intensive rights that all human beings should inherently enjoy.

Human rights are symbiotic and inseparable. According to the international law, all human rights are dependent on each other. No person should be deprived of their social, civil, political, or economic rights. The right to life, right to equality, right to work, freedom of expression, and other rights are inseparable. Improvement of one of these rights translates to the development of all, and deprivation of one culminates in deprivation of all (Carrim, 2007). The fundamental purpose of this interrelation among all human rights is to ensure they are one so that governments or individuals will not improve some rights while depriving others. Thus, an abuse of a single human freedom is an abuse of all human rights.

Further, human rights facilitate peaceful living for all human beings. Most people believe that human rights are meant to emancipate the oppressed from oppression, but in the real sense, they apply to everyone (Hoffman, 2016). The rights protect individuals in their day to day activities. Without them, it would be impossible to express oneself, but due to the freedom of expression, everyone can speak up their minds (Hoffman, 2016). Freedom of speech gives ordinary people the power to condemn acts of the powerful as well as oppose abuse of power by state governments (Hoffman, 2016). In this regard, human rights empower ordinary people to the point that they can negotiate with those in power. It is through these rights that people have access to education, family life, and private life.

Noteworthy, human rights came to be universally accepted after the Second World War (Swimelar, 2009). Before then, people had no rights, and they got their freedoms from joining a family, religious organizations, and national groups. There are several materials that serve as the source of human rights and they include Magna Carta 1215, the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights of 1791, and the French declaration of human rights of 1789 (McFarland, 2017). The formation of the United Nations played a significant role in the establishment of the international laws which enforce human rights. Slavery also contributed to the formulation of some human rights. In the year 1919, in efforts to put a stop to slavery, countries formed the International Labor Organization, which was meant to protect workers from harassment and guarantee their safety.

The League of Nations first raised concern over the abuse of human rights after the First World War. The countries involved were concerned about the sufferings that some minority groups had been subjected to. However, the efforts of the countries bore no fruits because the United States failed to join. The push for human rights arose again after the Second World War when the Nazis killed more than 6million Jews, disabled people, and gays (McFarland, 2017). The whole world was horrified by such high levels of cruelty. Some leaders from the defeated nations were tried in Tokyo and Nurnberg for committing crimes against humanity (McFarland, 2017). Governments across the world then decided to form the United Nations (UN), which would help prevent interstate conflicts and promote peace.

In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his speech to the United Nations Congress mentioned the need for the establishment of four central freedoms, which were freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom from fear, and freedom from want (McFarland, 2017). Other countries called for the declaration of standard human rights to protect ordinary people living within the borders of their nations from war. Due to these calls, the United Nations Charter was drafted in the year 1945 (McFarland, 2017). Members of the organization affirmed their commitment towards promoting reverence for human rights for all people. In efforts to support this move, the UN formed a commission on human rights, which was then given the responsibility to come up with a document listing all the reasons discussed in the 1945 Charter.

Human rights came into existence to protect the weak and oppressed from mistreatment by those in power. Human rights assure all people of fair treatment as all individuals are equal irrespective of their color, sex, religion, or social class. The Second World War marked the peak for the push for human rights. The act of Nazis of killing more than 6million innocent people made the world see the need for the official declaration of human rights. It was among the major events that made the world realize the need for universal human rights, which are today enjoyed by billions of people across the world.

Carrim, N. H. (2007).  Human rights and the construction of identities in South African education  (Doctoral dissertation).

Hoffmann, S. L. (2016). Human rights and history.  Past & Present ,  232 (1), 279-310.

McFarland, S. (2017). The universal declaration of human rights: a tribute to its architects.  Public Integrity ,  19 (2), 108-122.

Schmitt, H. H. (2010). “Natural rights and the 9th amendment”. America’s Uncommon Sense . Retrieved May 12, 2020 from https://www.americasuncommonsense.com/2010/09/natural-rights-and-the-9th-amendment/

Swimelar, S. (2009). International human rights: a comprehensive introduction.  Human Rights Quarterly ,  31 (3), 821-826.

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