UNITED NATIONS

PRINCIPLES ON
HUMAN RIGHTS
UNIT 1.3
OBJECTIVES:

• This unit will help us to enhance our knowledge and understanding of human rights
INTRODUCTION:

• The origin of human rights is ancient

• The idea of human rights is as old as humanity
• UNITED NATIONS (UN) – define the human right as:
1. UNIVERSAL AND INALIENABLE
2. INDEPENDENT AND INDIVISIBLE
3. EQUAL AND NON DISCRIMINATORY
HUMAN RIGHTS

• Humans are rational and possess a certain basic and inalienable rights commonly known
as human rights
WHAT IS HUMAN RIGHTS?

• It is the basic rights and freedoms that belongs to every person in the world.
• Human rights are defined as rights that is essential for the protection and maintenance of
dignity of individuals
• An individual can seek human rights only in an organized community.
• Human rights become operative with birth of individuals.
• Human rights are also referred as the following:
WHAT IS HUMAN RIGHTS?

1. Fundamental Rights
2. Basic Rights
3. Inherent Rights
4. Natural Rights
5. Birth Rights
MODERN HUMAN RIGHTS

• Human rights is one of such right which has been conferred to individuals by the states in
the Modern International Law.
• June 1993 – The modern perspective of human rights is reflected in the Vienna
declaration adopted by the world conference on Human Rights.
• The declaration states that all human rights are universal, indivisible, and independent,
inter-related and democracy, development and respect for human rights.
MODERN HUMAN RIGHTS

• The legal process in the universality of human rights effectively commerced with the
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR) 1948.
• The adoption of the UN charter in the result of Second World War can be considered as
landmark in the journey towards universal acceptance of human rights.
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

• ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS (1688) – the historical foundation of modern human rights
jurisprudence.
• 1776 – the American declaration of independence.
• 1789 – the french declaration of Rights of Man.
• 1948 – the legal process process in the universality of human rights effectively
commerced with the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
WHO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT
THE HUMAN RIGHTS?
• INDIVIDUALS have responsibility to ensure that they exercise their rights with
consideration for the others rights.
• GOVERNMENTS have a particular responsibility to ensure that people will able to enjoy
their rights.