Human rights are inalienable rights of all human beings, regardless of somatic differences, ethnicity, gender, geographical origin, skin color, place of residence, religion or any other condition. Everyone must enjoy them and no one can be deprived of them, but there is a risk that they will be abolished or violated by individuals, nations and governments. Although there are many national and international laws that protect human rights, every person has an obligation to promote and defend them. You can protect them in your territory by activism, becoming a civil rights lawyer or working for a human rights organization.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Knowing Human Rights
Step 1. Recognize civil rights
In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a veritable list of human rights belonging to all people. UN member states have pledged to protect and promote them. A large part of the rights included in the Universal Declaration can be defined as "civil", that is connected to the physical integrity and protection of the person before the law. The first 18 principles of the Universal Declaration define the civil rights of the individual, which include:
- The right to equality and the right to life, liberty, personal security;
- Protection against discrimination, slavery, torture and degrading treatment;
- Recognition as a person before the law and equal rights;
- The right to judicial redress in a competent court and to a fair public hearing;
- The guarantee not to be subject to arbitrary arrest and exile and not to be interfered with in private life, in the place of residence, in the family and in correspondence;
- The right to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
- The right to enter and leave your country freely, the right to seek asylum in other countries to escape persecution;
- The right to have a nationality and the freedom to change it;
- The right to marry, start a family and own property;
- Freedom of worship and religion.
Step 2. Identify political rights
Rights of a political nature include the freedom for all people to participate in public affairs and protection against interference by the authorities. They are listed in articles 19-21 of the Universal Declaration and include:
- Freedom of opinion, freedom of expression and the right to information;
- Freedom of peaceful assembly and association;
- The right to participate in public affairs, equal access to public services in one's country and the right to vote in free elections.
Step 3. Recognize economic and social rights
These rights establish the conditions necessary for individuals to thrive and have a decent standard of living. Articles 22-26 of the Universal Declaration enshrine economic and social rights, including:
- The right to social security;
- The right to take part in satisfactory work and join trade unions;
- The right to rest, free time and a standard of living adequate for personal health and well-being;
- The right to education, free during the fundamental stages of development.
Step 4. Be aware of cultural rights
Article 27 of the Universal Declaration states the cultural rights of people, including the freedom to participate in the cultural life of one's community, the protection of moral and material interests in the scientific, literary and artistic production of the individual.
Part 2 of 3: Protecting and Promoting Human Rights in Personal Life
Step 1. Spread the duty to protect and promote human rights
The protection and promotion of human rights must not be limited to the work of the United Nations or member countries. Each person has the obligation to contribute to the creation of an environment in which the rights of all human beings are promoted and respected.
Step 2. Learn about human rights
There are several ways and tools that allow you to deepen the subject of human rights, the violations of these rights and the organizations that row against these principles.
- Take a university course on human rights. Depending on which one you choose, you can get a clearer idea of human rights and applicable laws, how they are protected and preserved, and the measures taken to respond to the violation.
- There are also free online human rights courses. Try the Amnesty International website.
Step 3. Become a human rights activist on your territory
Not all people are able to protect human rights internationally or nationally. However, there is a lot of work to be done locally to raise awareness of this issue.
- Attend an event sponsored by human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International. By attending a demonstration against human rights violations, such as a protest against the death penalty, you will be contributing to collective action against human injustices. Look for any events on the Amnesty International website.
- Sign or create a petition on human rights issues. For example, if you want to fight for everyone to have decent housing or for children living in poverty to have access to food, you will likely find other people who share your passion. By creating a petition that helps local, state or national authorities, you are actively supporting and protecting human rights. Amnesty International promotes a series of petitions related to human rights at:
- Support politicians who show their commitment to human rights protection.
Step 4. Document human rights violations
If you see a behavior that tramples one of the human rights established by the Universal Declaration, you can report the incident to an organization that deals with the defense of these principles. To file a complaint about human rights violations, you must provide the following information with the relevant documentation:
- Identify the article of the Universal Declaration that has been violated;
- Detail all facts relating to the violation in chronological order, if possible;
- Provide the date, time and place of the incident; the name and location of the infringer; the place of detention (if any); the names and addresses of all witnesses and any other important details.
Step 5. Report local human rights violations to a reputable organization
After documenting the facts, you must report the violation to a serious organization dedicated to protecting human rights. Even if the perpetrators will not be prosecuted by reporting a crime, you will allow the organization to shed light on what happened and put pressure on the perpetrators to change their behavior. You can report a human rights violation to:
- Amnesty International;
- Human Rights Action Center;
- Human Rights Watch;
- The Children's Defense Fund;
- You can find links of other organizations on this site.
Step 6. Report grave human rights violations to the United Nations
If you witness a serious violation of human rights, especially atrocities committed by governments, and do not know who to contact, you can report it directly to the UN Human Rights Council. Prepare a written complaint, in which you must:
- Include your name or the name of the organization where you filed the report and, if you prefer to remain anonymous, state it openly;
- Demonstrate that the complaint clearly indicates and reveals a consistent system of serious human rights violations that you have documented;
- Identify the victims of the violations, but also the perpetrators, and provide a detailed description of the incident;
- Include certain evidence, such as a statement from the victim, medical reports, or any other information confirming your complaint;
- Clearly indicate which rights in the Universal Declaration have been violated;
- Explain why you want UN intervention;
- Show that you have exhausted all the resources at your disposal.
- You can send your complaint to: Commission / Sub-Commission Team (1503 Procedure), Support Services Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
- Alternatively, you can fax it to + 41 22 9179011 or email it to: [email protected].
Part 3 of 3: Defending Human Rights as a Professional Choice
Step 1. Become a human rights lawyer
National and international law is the main way to guarantee and protect human rights. Therefore, a more direct way to protect these principles in the world or in your own country is to make a career as a human rights defender. Lawyers belonging to this category take legal action on behalf of people who have been denied inalienable rights, against states and governments that break national and international laws.
Step 2. Get a scholarship
If you want to improve your skills in this area, consider applying for a human rights scholarship made available by the United Nations. These programs are promoted around the world and give fellows the opportunity to become familiar with the mechanisms that protect human rights and regulate international institutions. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) offers four programs:
- "The Indigenous Fellowship Program" for people belonging to indigenous peoples who wish to deal with human rights;
- "The Minorities Fellowship Program" intended for people belonging to national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities who want to receive training on human rights;
- "The Human Rights LDC Fellowship Program" for graduate students from less developed countries who intend to receive training on the United Nations system and human rights;
- "The Fellowship for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) Staff" provides members of a "National human rights institution" (NHRI) with training on international human rights and OHCHR's work with NHRIs.
- You can find application instructions and information at:
Step 3. Work for a human rights organization
There are numerous human rights organizations that employ various professionals, including activists, administrative assistants, and people engaged in campaigns, politics and powerful lobbies. If you are interested in dealing with human rights, consider the possibility of:
- Do internships and volunteer work to get a better idea of the work done by organizations and understand if you are really interested in this opportunity;
- Deepen human rights and think about how you could make a contribution;
- Studying or doing an internship abroad while attending university and learning a foreign language;
- Learning to fill out grant applications, raise funds, conduct research and write - all essential skills for working in a non-governmental organization (NGO).
- You can find a list of human rights organizations, with their contact information, at: https://www.humanrights.com/voices-for-human-rights/human-rights-organizations/non-governmental. html.
Step 4. Become a political leader fighting for human rights
Governments are tasked with protecting and promoting the human rights of all citizens. They are required to enact laws that protect them and must refrain from violating them. If you are interested, you may want to consider a political career. In this way, you will have the opportunity to present legislative measures in defense of human rights, support your cause and sponsor measures that safeguard the inalienable principles of humanity.
