Aims of human right

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.

Objectives of Human Rights

 The very first objective of human rights is to protect human beings from any kind of
discrimination and injustice all over the world.
 The second objective of Human Rights is to develop individual self-respect.
 The third objective is to value human dignity.
 The Fourth objective of Human Rights is to promote and develop respect,
understanding and appreciation of diversity.
 The fifth objective of Human Rights is to promote democracy, Social Justice,
friendship and brotherhood to gain unity in diversity.

Introduction
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of gender, nationality, place of
residency, sex, ethnicity, religion, color or and other categorization. Thus, human rights are non-
discriminatory, meaning that all human beings are entitled to them and cannot be excluded from
them. Of course, while all human beings are entitled to human rights, not all human beings
experience them equally throughout the world. Many governments and individuals ignore human
rights and grossly exploit other human beings.
Human rights are standards that recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings.
Human rights govern how individual human beings live in society and with each other as
well as their relationship with the State and the obligations that the State have towards them.

Human rights law obliges governments to do some things, and prevents them from doing
others. Individuals also have responsibilities: in using their human rights they must respect
the rights of others. No government, group or individual person has the right to do anything
that violates anothers rights.

All human rights for all and the world is one family are the two notions that have relied on the
broadened definition of human rights, ensuring human dignity for every individual of the human
race in the global village.

The question of fundamental human rights has been relevant ever since the rudimentary structure
of human society came to be established. Such rights can be said to comprise the basic needs of
human beings, which include the right to food, the right to breathe clean and unpolluted air, the
right to shelter, the right to clothing, and the right to a decent environment, all of which are
essential for human beings to live and survive, as against natural rights, which all living beings
enjoy from birth and which no human agency can give or take away.

What are human rights

The term “human right” does not have a specific scientific definition. These are moral claims that
are inalienable and inherent in all human beings solely because of their existence. These claims
are expressed and formalised in what we now refer to as human rights, and have been translated
into constitutional/legal rights established through the law-making processes of states/societies,
both nationally and internationally.

Human rights are often defined as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is essentially
entitled just by virtue of being human. Thus, human rights are understood as universal (meaning
they apply everywhere) and egalitarian (meaning they are the same for everyone). Human rights
is a generic term that includes and is the traditional civil and political rights and newly developed
modern economic, social and cultural rights.

History of Human Rights

The evolution of Human Rights has been seen in 539 BC for the first time, when it
was seen that the troops of Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, liberated the slaves
and announced that the right to choose religion and racial equality would be given to
all the people and these rights were later treated as principles which were recorded on
baked-clay cylinder known as the Cyrus Cylinder.

After this, in the year 1215, the proclamation of Magna Carta was seen and it evolved
the principle of the “Rule of Law”. It also defined the basic rights and liberties of all
individuals and provided equal protection, it also offered imprisonment and
prosecution. The introduction of these principles was mentioned in the English Bill of
Rights which was represented in the Magna Carta. The bill gave power to parliament
over monarchy and also mentioned constitutional rights and civil rights necessary for
the citizens of England.

Later The Bill of Rights was also referred to by different nations like the US in their
Bill of Rights in the year 1791. In that year 1628, the rights of people were recognized
by The Petition of Rights. In the year 1776 The United States declared their
independence and revealed the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, this
was seen as a big step at that time.[5]

After the Independence of the US, in the year 1789, the France National Assembly
declared the rights of men and of citizens, which Introduced the basic rights of human
liberties, acknowledged by the French Revolution. The declaration was based upon
the principles like right to liberty, right to private property, equality before law etc. 
Judicial rights and freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion were also
recognized.

After this in the year 1948 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was
introduced where the first document listing 30 rights to which every human being is
entitled was mentioned here UDHR aims at providing and targeting rights like The
UDHR urges the member nations to promote a number of human’scivil, economic and
social rights, asserting these rights are part of the “foundation of freedom, justice and
peace in the world”.[6]It was after all these conventions steps taken by several nations
that Human Rights have been established.

Classification of human rights 

Civil and political rights ( 1st  generation)

Civil rights or liberties are rights that protect one’s right to life and liberty. They are essential for
a person to enjoy a dignified life. These rights include the right to life, liberty, the right to
privacy, home, and correspondence, the right to possess property, the right to be free of torture
and cruel or degrading treatment, the freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and the right to
move. Political rights are those that allow people to participate in the formation or administration
of a government. Examples: the right to vote, the right to be elected in legitimate periodic
elections, and the right to participate directly or through chosen representatives in the
administration of public affairs.

Economic, social, and cultural rights (2nd generation)

Civil and political rights are linked with western capitalist countries (eg. the United Kingdom, the
United States of America, and France). On the other hand, human rights, according to socialist
states, are those founded on the harmony of individual and collective interests of a socialist
society. The Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 gave birth to
economic and social rights. With the emergence of socialism in the twentieth century, these rights
gained respect.

These second-generation rights are positive in the sense that they compel states to adopt proper
actions to safeguard them. For example,  rights include the right to adequate food, clothing,
housing, and an adequate quality of life. It also includes the right to work, the right to social
security, the right to good physical and mental health, and the right to education. Without these
rights, human life will be jeopardised.  

These rights have been recognised in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and
Cultural Rights.

Relationship between two generations of human rights:

Even though the two sets of rights are recognized by the UN in two different Covenants, they
have a strong relationship. It has been correctly recognised that both kinds of rights are equally
vital and that without civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights cannot be
fully realised, and vice versa.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Although the theological, philosophical, and political foundations of human rights intersected
early on, providing a diverse variety of viewpoints crucial to the formation of civil liberty as a
concept, no universal baseline for human rights was formed until the end of World War I.
The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, resulted in the formation of the League of Nations and
the International Labour Organisation, two of the earliest international institutions dedicated to
achieving peace and promoting social justice.

The League of Nations Covenant guaranteed fair and humane labor conditions ‘just treatment’
particularly for people from historically colonial countries and members of minority groups and
freedom of conscience and religion.

Despite the efforts made to incorporate racial equality and non-discrimination articles, the
concept of international protection for human rights was never fully examined or recognised by
the global community.

Ironically the outbreak of World War II and its numerous losses drew greater attention to the
subject of human rights. WWII killed almost 60 million people between 1939 and 1945,
including allied and axis soldiers and civilians, making it the deadliest battle in human history.
Sexual brutality forced labor mass bombings, and human experimentation were among the
horrors committed during and after the Holocaust.

With the pledge Never Again the international community pledged to strengthen international
collaboration to prevent future crimes against humanity. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt
issued one of the first major humanitarian responses to the cruel conflict. In January 1941, he
proposed the Four Freedoms, which recognise the basic liberties to which all people are entitled
as freedom of expression, religion, lack of want, and lack of fear, as well as the ‘supremacy of
human rights everywhere. Roosevelts Four Freedoms were so influential that they were later
incorporated into the preambles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other
important human rights declarations.
The United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, and 22 other countries signed
the Declaration of the United Nations in January 1942. Many states, including Panama, Chile,
South Africa, and Mexico proposed inserting human rights provisions in the UN Charter in April
1945, and as a result the UN Charter talks about the  promotion of respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms that is entitled to each and every individual in this world, with this it also  
mandated the establishment of a Commission on Human Rights under the Economic and Social
Council.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

As previously said the concept of inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms is not new;
nonetheless, the social and political setting of the mid-twentieth century was unique and left an
eternal impact on the development of human rights. At a time when society was undergoing
significant changes, the concept of human rights was also compelled to shift as well. Following
the end of World War II, the Holocaust inevitably shed light on human rights issues, bringing
those concerns to the forefront in the postwar era.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations General
Assembly, is an international declaration that establishes all human beings’ rights and freedoms.
It was adopted by the General Assembly on December 10, 1948, at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris,
France, after being drafted by a UN committee directed by Eleanor Roosevelt. The UDHR is a
foundational text in the history of human and civil rights, consisting of 30 articles in it.  Although
the declaration is not legally enforceable, the rights are inscribed in the constitutions and national
legislation of many countries.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights with its two Optional Protocols, the International Covenant on Economic, Social,
and Cultural Rights along with its Optional Protocol, forms the International Bill of Human
Rights.

World Human Rights Day is observed every year on December 10th, the anniversary of the
adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Legality of Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

Since the Universal Declaration is not a treaty, it does not impose any legal duties on
governments directly. It is however a statement of universal principles that all members of the
international community share it has also had a significant impact on the creation of international
human rights law.

Conclusion
Human Rights are a set of rights that are provided to every human being and these are
basic rights to live life respectfully and peacefully. Moreover, violation of human
rights should be no option to anyone as it’s been more than a decade since these rights
are recognized and universally acceptable. The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights has agreed to all the rights and tries to protect these rights. The definition of
human rights its origin, functions and kinds all indicated how important these rights
are and cannot be violated, as protected by international law.

In a world where human rights enforcement is still a challenge in both developed and developing
countries the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) serves as a lighthouse for the
international community on the standards that should be set for the protection and promotion of
human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights marked the beginning of a new era of
hope for respect for all people’s inherent equality and dignity. It paved the way for the drafting of
international human rights treaties and the formation of several human rights organisations. It
gave greater legitimacy to the subject of human rights around the world putting it firmly on the
agendas of both national governments and the international community. 

Despite these great achievements, the last seventy-three years have also shown that, in the
absence of political will and resources complete respect for human rights remains a pledge on
paper. Even in recent scenarios the fight against crime and terrorism has also put a strain on
fundamental rights. 
So governments today must show the same degree of vision, courage, and commitment that led
the United Nations to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights seventy-three years ago.