In the recent past, there have been several instances when Human Rights have been neglected by the government. However, Human rights are rights we simply have because we exist as human beings – they are not granted by any state or region. We are entitled to these rights regardless of nationality, sex, colour, religion or language.
Thus, the United Nations had proclaimed a milestone document in Paris on 10 December 1948 called The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected. So here are these basic rights that no nation or government can snatch from an individual.
Each and every human bieng is born free and equal and should be treated the same way.
Each and every person is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind. Such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or another status. Moreover, there must not be any differentiation on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs.
This right mostly focuses on protecting individuals’ freedom from unreasonable detention, as opposed to protecting personal safety. A person has a right to their personal freedom. This means they must not be imprisoned or detained without good reason.
Nobody has the right to treat anyone as a slave nor anyone can enslave any other human being.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Regardless of whether a person is a citizen or immigrant, student or tourist, worker or refugee, or any other group, they have the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Each and every person is equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. Everyone is entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Each and every person has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals, obtain legal help and access the justice system for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Nobody, including the government can arrest or detain anyone without proper facts and legal procedure or send them away from their country unjustly or without proper trial.
Each and every person is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Anyone who is charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law. No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor there should be a heavier punishment imposed on the person that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Nobody should be subjected to arbitrary interference with their privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Each and every person has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Each and every person has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. However, this right might not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the UN.
Every person is born with the right to a nationality. No one should be deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Men and women have the right to marry when they are legally able without limits due to race, nationality or religion. Families should be protected by the Government and the justice system.
Everyone has the right to own their own properties. No one has the right to illegally take them from any person.
Every person has the right to freely manifest their religion, practice it alone or with others and to change it when they wish to.
Every person has the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Every person has the right to organize and participate in peaceful meetings and nobody can force a person to be a part of a meeting or an assembly.
Everybody has the right to take part in their country’s political affairs and should be provided with equal access to public service. Governments should be voted for regularly.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Each and every person has the right to work in just and favourable conditions and be free to choose your work with a salary that allows you to live and support family. Everyone should receive equal pay for equal work.
Everyone has the right to reasonable working hours. Each work day should not be too long and everyone has the right to rest and take regular paid holidays.
Everyone has the right to a basic standard of living for the health and well-being of themselves and of their family. Which includes foods, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
A person has the right to go to school, continue your studies as far as you wish and learn regardless of race, religion or country of origin. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Each and every person has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Each and every person is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Every person has duties toward the community within which their personality can fully develop. The law should guarantee human rights. It should allow everyone to respect others and to be respected.
This declaration should not be interpreted as implying for any state, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
Design Credits: Saransh Singh