Human rights can be defined as universal moral principles that describe certain standards of human behaviour, which are inherent to all human beings. They are the legal expression of moral ideals, values, duties and responsibilities applicable to every individual who has been born, regardless of race, culture, nationality or gender. The origin of human rights can be traced back to Ancient Greeks who actively criticized the idea of slavery by asserting that all people should be free. This concept evolved over time in the works of great thinkers such as John Locke, Immanuel Kant and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who all gave philosophical reasons for the moral necessity of human equality. Further, it also began to get reflected in the English legal system since the Bill of Rights 1688, when certain basic rights have been secured to the people including the right to due process of law in case of imprisonment and exile.
The United Nations, formed after the Second World War, recognized the importance of human rights and formulated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This mechanism aimed to act as a consensus document to serve as a benchmark for all countries around the world. This declaration contains numerous codified civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights in an attempt to guarantee basic freedoms and equal rights for all citizens and inhabitants of the world. Subsequently, several international laws, like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, were also passed in order to protrect all people under the same rules of law.
Today, it is unsurprising to see that a near-universal consensus has been achieved on the subject of human rights including the right to life, liberty and security, equality before the law, the right to own property, the right to free education, the right to due process, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of movement and the right to marry and form a family. But still, in many countries around the world, the human rights of individuals are being violated in gross and pervasive forms. To this day, global movements such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch remain committed to protecting the fundamental rights and liberties of every human being and ensuring equitable justice. It is therefore, our duty as responsible citizens of the world to help safeguard the sanctity of human rights and ensure effective implementation of the same.
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