Why human rights are so important

Human rights are the basic, universal, inalienable rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world.

Following the Holocaust and World War II, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (UDHR) The purpose was to protect future generations from a repeat of these horrors. It was one of the UN's first major achievements.

The Universal Declaration set out the fundamental rights and freedoms shared by all human beings. Below is a short video on the UDHR, created by Amnesty.

They formed the basis for the European Convention on Human Rights in 1950. The European Convention protects the human rights of people in countries that belong to the Council of Europe. This includes the United Kingdom.

The European Convention sets out a number of fundamental human rights including the right to life, the right to liberty and the right to free expression. If the UK does not respect the rights in the European Convention, we are breaking international law.

The Human Rights Act 1998 made these human rights part of Britain's domestic law, and now courts in the United Kingdom can hear human rights cases. 

Human rights provide the legal basis to ensure that we are protected against abuses and discrimination. They underline human dignity and ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Human rights include civil, political, economic and social rights. Examples include: Right to freedom of religion, to privacy, to vote, to an adequate standard of living, adequate food and housing, rights at work and to education.

For further information, I strongly recommend the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) website.