FROM AI:
Amnesty International defines human rights as fundamental freedoms and protections inherent to every person, based on dignity, equality, and respect, regardless of background. These rights, outlined in documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), are universal, inalienable, and indivisible, including civil/political rights (life, expression, fair trial) and economic/social/cultural rights (health, education, housing, work).
Key Characteristics:
- Universal: Apply to everyone, everywhere.
- Inalienable: Cannot be taken away.
- Indivisible & Interdependent: All rights are equally important and interconnected; taking one away affects others.
Core Examples (from the UDHR):
- Right to Life, Liberty, & Security: Freedom from slavery, torture, and arbitrary arrest.
- Equality & Non-Discrimination: Equality before the law, regardless of race, sex, religion, etc..
- Fair Trial & Justice: Right to a fair hearing and recourse for rights violations.
- Freedom of Expression & Belief: Holding opinions, freedom of thought, religion, and peaceful assembly.
- Economic & Social Rights: Right to education, health, adequate housing, food, and work.
- Right to Asylum: Freedom to seek refuge from persecution.
In essence, human rights ensure fair treatment and the ability to make choices about one’s life, forming the basis for a just and dignified existence for all people, protected by international law.