What are Human Rights?

What are human rights? The Universal Declaration of Human Rights mark the first effort made to define the rights of people on a global scale. Now the declaration represents action that was taken by people across the globe who wished what happened in Nazi-Germany, never happen again. However, when the genocide in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Kosovo, and East Timor surfaced officials were hesitant to intervene; this resulted in many casualties and lives lost.

It is under the notion that Human Rights are equal, as they are natural and universal, that all human rights should hold an equal amount of urgency. Although many are unaware of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the document has shaped the world. Many individuals are still fighting repression, however, there are many more who often never question the rights that they hold. How do societies advance if certain human rights hold different levels of priority? How will the Universal Declaration of Human Rights hold as a standard if rights stated have different levels of importance? There are many contradictions to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when the priority of each right is segregated and made unequal; many are blinded to the benefits of such an equality. Internationally there are many benefits to reap as well, political pressure can be a powerful force if only used in a proper manner. All these factors affect Human Rights, all these factors express the need for equality.

Annually the Human Rights Committee (ICCPR) meets 9 weeks out of a year, there are about 167 parties; the committees over Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), along with the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) meet about 6 weeks out of a year and have parties of 160 (ICESCR) a...

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... focusing on these issues, therefore, they shun their understanding of the issue and attempt to distance themselves as far as possible in order to decrease the chance of familiarizing the issue. As humans, most feel a pang of sadness and remorse for those suffering around the world, for anybody who is struggling against oppression. Although it is in our nature to care and help, turning the blind eye is the most common form of action because not one person wants to be the advocate, the target or the leader. What must be understood is: all human rights require equality in order to mend the severity of violations. Arguing to keep human rights at separate levels of importance is irrelevant now, it has been done and is the current course of action. Although it is achieving in specific areas of work, it is also failing other equally important crises.

Works Cited