WHAT IS HUMAN RIGHTS?

The basic definition of human rights is that these refer to those rights which pertain to all persons and are possessed by every
individual because they are human or are those rights which a person is entitled by reason of him being a part of the human family.
Accordingly, human rights are inherent rights and are not conferred by any authority.

In addition, human rights may be defined as those rights which human beings cannot live with dignity, freedom, and justice in any
nation or state regardless of color, place, birth, ethnicity, race, religion, or sex or any such considerations.

REFLECTED IN THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION: when it declares that the State values the dignity of every human person and
guarantees full respect for human right.

CONCEPT OF A HUMAN, PHILIPPINE RESPECTIVE.

Human rights refers to the rights which belong to a human person or being. Meaning, there should be a “human” in existence.
Human, in a general sense refers to a right-holder, one who can demand these rights. He or she should be rightfully treated with
dignity for the reason that he is part of the human family.

In the case of IMBONG VS OCHOA, It was stated that a human person began to exist when a woman’s egg cell is fertilized by a
man’s sperm cell. At the precise moment the same was fertilized that is now entitled of the most fundamental human right to life.

ATTRIBUTES OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights are UNIVERSAL, INTERDEPENDENT, AND INDIVISIBLE, INALIENABLE, AND INHERENT.

UNIVERSAL – It applies to all persons by reason of him being a human. It does not recognize the race, sex, age, or creed of a
human person as conditions for its application and it is confirmed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees
that all humans are free and equal and it should be applied with no distinction .

INTERDEPENDENT AND INDIVISIBLE- It states that all human rights are interrelated or interconnected with one another, that all
rights operate as a unified whole in order to give full realization to the conception and protection of the dignity of a human person.
Meaning, civil and political rights cannot be dissociated from economic, social, and cultural rights in their conception as well
universality and that the satisfaction of economic, social and cultural rights is a guarantee for the enjoyment of civil and political
rights.

INALIENABLE- Human rights are inalienable in a sense that it cannot be removed out of a human person just because of his
particular status or circumstance. It is granted by reason of him being a human person.

INHERENT- Human rights are birth rights. The right-bearer is entitled to these rights because of him being a member of the human
family and it is not granted to him by authority.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights may be categorized into three groups:

Civil rights, political rights, and economic, social, and cultural rights.

Civil rights also known as civil liberties. These refer to sets of rights that pertain to those that belong to every citizen of the state or
country, or in wider sense, to all inhabitants, and are not connected with the organization or administration of the government.

Political rights are those which guarantee a citizen the authority to participate in the running of the affairs of the government. Also
termed as participatory rights considering that these essentially grant the right to every citizen to be involved in public decision-
making processes. (plebiscites and elections).

Economic, social, and cultural rights are human rights which recognize, protect, and guarantee the person’s right to education,
housing, adequate standard of living, health and science and culture. Also known as entitlement rights.