How to defend human rights

Universal human rights are a list of 30 fundamental rights common and recognized for all human beings , regardless of sex, race, religion, origin, etc., by the mere fact of being born, hence their universality. These rights establish a series of conditions that are essential to guarantee that all of us can live with dignity as human beings in a free and fair environment where peace rules.

These 30 rights are included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , a document proclaimed at the General Assembly of the United Nations in Paris (1948). This document was created as a result of the events that occurred in the wake of the Second World War. However, despite the fact that these rights may seem the most basic and indispensable to us, there are many places in the world where today these rights are violated and violated every day.

The 30 universal human rights are collected and detailed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By way of synthesis, we can say that these rights touch, among others, issues related to equality, freedom of expression or the right to life, education, housing and health.

The list of the 30 articles on human rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in summary, is as follows:

1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
2. Everyone has all the rights and freedoms of the Declaration.
3. Right to life
4. Right to freedom, no one will be subjected to slavery or servitude.
5. No one will be subjected to torture.
6. Right to a legal personality.
7. Equality before the law.
8. Right to defense before a court.
9. No one may be arbitrarily detained or exiled.
10. Right to a fair trial.
11. Right to the presumption of innocence.
12. Right to privacy.
13. Right to freedom of movement.
14. Right of asylum.
15. Right to nationality.
16. Right to marriage without restrictions of race, nationality or religion.
17. Right to individual and collective property.
18. Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
19. Right to freedom of opinion and expression.
20. Right to freedom of assembly and association.
21. Right to democracy.
22. The right to social security.
23. Right to work, to a fair salary and to the formation of unions.
24. Right to rest and leisure.
25. Right to an adequate standard of living that ensures health, well-being, food, clothing, housing, medical assistance and social services.
26. Right to free education, at least in the stages of basic training.
27. Right to culture.
28. Right to social and international order.
29. Right to the enjoyment of their freedoms and duties regarding the community.
30. Impossibility of eliminating any of these rights and freedoms included in the Declaration to confer any right to the State, a group or a person to undertake and develop activities or acts aimed at the suppression of them.

Throughout history, events have occurred in which it has been necessary to defend these rights that all human beings have. For this, the participation of citizens has been crucial to guarantee compliance with these rights. But how to defend human rights in a more concrete way ?

First of all, it is crucial that you are informed and know your rights . The best asset of those who may want to play with them to snatch them from us is ignorance, so this is the first step to detect when someone is trying to rape them.

Once your rights are known, you must protect them in your personal life by accepting the responsibility that this entails, as it is not just a matter that concerns large organizations such as the United Nations or governments. We are all responsible for protecting, promoting and defending human rights in a proactive way. For this there are various activities that you can develop , such as:

• Participate in local activities that are developed in favor of human rights or attend events sponsored by organizations whose main function is to defend these rights.
• Intervene in the defense of human rights by signing petitions , or even preparing them, related to matters that affect human rights, such as cases in which unfair actions are being violated, or unfair actions are taking place or that you consider that they are attempting to act against these fundamental rights.

What can we do to ensure that human rights are fulfilled

If you detect any irregularity that is being committed against human rights, register it and report it to organizations that work in defense of human rights. First of all, identify the article that is suffering the irregularity and detail it in detail, including data such as date, time and place, who is causing the violation of the right if you know him, witnesses … Anything that may be important. It then reports these data to organizations such as, for example, as there are various organizations, Amnesty International, The Center for Action on Human Rights or the Fund for the Defense of Children.

If you consider that these are very serious human rights violations and you do not know who to turn to, you can report the case directly to the United Nations Subcommittee on Human Rights . In this case you will have to prepare a very detailed written complaint indicating who is making the complaint, or clearly state if you want to remain anonymous. The pattern of violations of rights documented correctly, the victims, the violators, evidence of the violation (it can be testimonies of the victim, doctors, etc.), which rights have been violated, and, above all, must be detailed. demonstrate that other available resources have been exhausted before reaching, as one might say, this extreme.

In the same way, you can dedicate yourself to protecting your rights and those of others also through your professional life, training and becoming a human rights lawyer , since it is through national and international laws that these rights should be guaranteed and protected. . With this function, you can be part of organizations that fight and protect human rights.