Human Rights

What Are Human Rights?

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.

International Human Rights Law

International human rights law lays down the obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

International organisations and human rights

The most important human rights conventions are negotiated under the sphere of the United Nations (UN) and the Council of Europe (CoE). There are also other international and regional organisations with other human rights treaties that have not been adopted as widely. In addition, there are other conventions and treaties that contain elements related to human rights, even though they are not specifically human rights treaties.