Human rights they are the rights that all individuals have simply because they are human.
Human rights are based on respect for individuality and freedom, regardless of a person's social condition, color, gender or religion.
The notion of a universal right has been present since Antiquity, but it was in the French Revolution that this principle was put into practice.
Human Rights serve to guarantee that every human person will have his or her life and choices respected. It also ensures equal treatment for all human beings.
These principles of equality were expressed in 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, released on December 10, 1948, by the United Nations (UN).
Human Rights are the recognition that every person is free to make their own choices. In this way, they ensure that a human being can choose their religion, ideology, place of residence, without interference from a higher power or society.
The universal recognition of equality, however, was not always understood that way. In slave societies, enslaved people were seen as a commodity and inferior to those who were free.
Even today, not all nations guarantee equal rights to citizens.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document that summarizes what rights are valid for all human beings. It entered into force on December 10, 1948.
The document bases its defense against oppression and discrimination. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all people are equal and have the right to dignity and freedom, whatever the race, color, gender, nationality, religion or policy of the individual.
The document also guarantees the right to life, freedom of expression, in addition to education, housing and work.
History of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On October 24, 1945, at the end of World War II, the United Nations released a formal document to safeguard the rights of future generations.
The main objective was to avoid the repetition of the facts that occurred in the conflict, such as the loss of fundamental rights by part of Jews, homosexuals, communists, gypsies, etc., which resulted in the killing of these groups in the camps. concentration.
The first draft of the declaration was presented at the UN General Assembly in 1946 and passed on to the Commission on Human Rights in order to have a universal character.
In 1947, representatives from eight countries were responsible for drafting the document in a committee coordinated by Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), widow of US President Franklin Roosevelt.
The signing of the final text was attended by delegates from 50 countries and the Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on December 10, 1948.
It is important to remember that all those countries that are part of the UN must accept the Declaration of Human Rights and incorporate them into its principles.
Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a total of 30 articles.
Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Endowed with reason and conscience, they must act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
All human beings can invoke the rights and freedoms proclaimed in this Declaration, without any distinction, namely of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, wealth, birth or other statute.
In addition, no distinction will be made based on the political, legal or international status of the country or territory of the birthplace of the person, whether that country or independent territory, under guardianship, autonomous or subject to any limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one can be kept in slavery or in bondage; slavery and the slave trade, in any form, are prohibited.
Article 5
No one will be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment.
Article 6
Every human being has the right to be recognized everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled, without any distinction, to the equal protection of the law. Everyone is entitled to equal protection against any discrimination that violates this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Every human being has the right to receive effective remedy from the competent national courts for acts that violate fundamental rights recognized by the constitution or the law.
Article 9
No one will be arbitrarily arrested, detained or exiled.
Article 10
Every human being has the right, in full equality, to a fair and public hearing by a court. independent and impartial, to decide their rights and duties or the basis of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
1. Every human being accused of a criminal act has the right to be presumed innocent until his guilt has been proven in accordance with the law, in a public trial in which all the necessary guarantees for its defense.
2. No one can be blamed for any action or omission which, at the time, did not constitute a crime under national or international law. Nor will it be imposed a stronger penalty than that which, at the time of practice, was applicable to the criminal act.
Article 12
No one will be subjected to interference with your private life, family, home or correspondence, nor attack on your honor and reputation. Every human being is entitled to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13
1. Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
2. Every human being has the right to leave any country, including his own and to return to it.
Article 14
1. Every human being, victim of persecution, has the right to seek and enjoy asylum in other countries.
2. This right cannot be invoked in case of persecution legitimately motivated by common law crimes or by acts contrary to the objectives and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
1. Every human being is entitled to a nationality.
2. No one will be arbitrarily deprived of their nationality or the right to change their nationality.
Article 16
1. Men and women of greater age, without any restriction of race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and found a family. They enjoy equal rights in relation to marriage, its duration and its dissolution.
2. The marriage will only be valid with the free and full consent of the betrothed.
3. The family is the natural and fundamental nucleus of society and is entitled to protection from society and the State.
Article 17
1. Every human being has the right to property, alone or in partnership with others.
2. No one will be arbitrarily deprived of their property.
Article 18
Every human being has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief and the freedom to manifest that religion or belief by teaching, practicing, worshiping in public or in private.
Article 19
Every human being has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and transmit information and ideas by any means and regardless of borders.
Article 20
1. Every human being has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
2. Nobody can be forced to join an association.
Article 21
1. Every human being has the right to take part in the government of his country directly or through freely chosen representatives.
2. Every human being has an equal right of access to public service in their country.
3. The will of the people will be the basis of the government's authority; this will will be expressed in periodic and legitimate elections, by universal suffrage, by secret ballot or an equivalent process that ensures the freedom to vote.
Article 22
Every human being, as a member of society, has the right to social security, achievement through national effort, international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable to its dignity and to the free development of its personality.
Article 23
1. Every human being has the right to work, free choice of employment, fair and favorable working conditions and protection against unemployment.
2. Every human being, without any distinction, is entitled to equal pay for equal work.
3. Every human being who works is entitled to a fair and satisfactory remuneration that assures him, as well as his family, an existence compatible with human dignity and to which, if necessary, other means of protection will be added. Social.
4. Every human being has the right to organize unions and join them to protect their interests.
Article 24
Every human being has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic paid vacations.
Article 25
1. Every human being has the right to a standard of living capable of assuring himself and his family of health, well-being, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and services. social essentials and the right to security in the event of unemployment, illness, disability, widowhood, old age or other cases of loss of livelihood in circumstances beyond its control.
2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, born in or out of wedlock, will enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26
1. Every human being has the right to education. Education will be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental degrees. Elementary instruction will be mandatory. Technical-professional education will be accessible to everyone, as well as higher education, which will be based on merit.
2. Instruction will be directed towards the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The instruction will promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and racial or religious groups and will assist the United Nations' activities in the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have priority in choosing the type of instruction that will be provided to their children.
Article 27
1. Every human being has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to participate in scientific progress and its benefits.
2. Every human being has the right to the protection of moral and material interests arising from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28
Every human being is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
1. Every human being has duties to the community, in which the free and full development of his personality is possible.
2. In the exercise of their rights and freedoms, every human being will be subject only to the limitations determined by law, exclusively for the purpose of ensuring the due recognizing and respecting the rights and freedoms of others and meeting the just demands of morals, public order and the well-being of a society democratic.
3. These rights and freedoms cannot, under any circumstances, be exercised contrary to the objectives and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed as acknowledging to any State, group or person the right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms here settled down.
History of Human Rights
The Cylinder of Cyrus, King of Persia, is considered to be the first document that guaranteed the rights of a people. In this document, Cyrus reinstates the worship of the gods, and frees and lets go of people who had been enslaved.
In turn, the Romans incorporated into their Law the notion of universal laws, as these should be obeyed throughout the Empire, not only in Rome.
Later, Christianity would bring the conception that human beings are equal and, therefore, that there should be no slavery, for example.
In the Middle Ages, English nobles revolted against King John's abuse of power. Thus, they drafted a series of laws against royal power, known as Magna Carta (1215), who claimed the power of the nobility over that of the king.
However, it was only with Enlightenment ideas that the idea of rights valid for all human beings, whatever their origin, gained strength. The United States Declaration of Independence was the first official document to incorporate this idea.
Then, the French Revolution launched the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which affirms that rights are for everyone and not just for a privileged few.
See too: Enlightenment
What are Human Rights?
Human rights include the right to life, liberty, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work, a fair trial and education.
Therefore, human rights reject everything that is against human freedom such as slavery, torture, humiliating treatment and trials without legal guarantees.
Characteristics of Human Rights
Human Rights have the following characteristics:
- Universals: valid for all human beings;
- Indivisible: all rights must apply, without exclusion of any;
- Interdependents: each right depends on the other and generates a complement.
Human Rights in Brazil
Brazil has been a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since 1948. This means that the country is committed to observing and complying with what is set out in this document.
In this way, when the government does not guarantee the safety of an individual, whether innocent or criminal, for example, it means that he violates an international orientation.
In order to promote the values of Human Rights in the country, the Brazilian government has the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights. The holder, in 2020, is pastor Damares Alves.
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