Human rights

UN Declaration

Rights describe the freedoms, obligations and responsibilities people have in relation to the state (government and or authority) — a  way of expressing the entitlements that people hold.

Talk of rights in modern times broadly directs our notions of what actions and institutions can be considered ethical and just.

Human rights are considered universal (in common to all people) and inalienable (unchallengeable and indisputable). In 1948 human rights were instituted within international law with the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights where its preamble states:

The equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace (United Nations 1948).


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Australian Human Rights Commission

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References

United Nations General Assembly 1948, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, viewed 23 August 2016, <http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html>.