What are Human Rights?
Human rights are the rights that everyone is entitled to, regardless of who you are or where you are born and live, meaning they are universal in nature. Human rights cannot be taken away, which means they are inalienable.[1] Furthermore, all human rights are equally important and not subject to any hierarchy, making them indivisible. Also, guaranteeing one right cannot come at the expense of or compromise any other. Finally, human rights are interdependent and interrelated, which means that the enjoyment of one right can depend on the enjoyment of others. The violation or lack of access to one right may affect an individual’s ability to access or enjoy other rights.
Human rights are not merely moral or ethical obligations. Human rights are legal rights that States around the world have agreed to through international documents such as treaties, conventions and covenants. Governments therefore have a legal obligation to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. The obligation to protect human rights means that States cannot interfere in the enjoyment of human rights by groups or individuals. States must also ensure that individuals and groups are protected from violations of their rights particularly from non-State actors.