What are human rights?

Human rights are basic rights and freedoms. No one has to earn human rights.
We are all born with them. They are part of what makes us human beings.

As humans we have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. We have the right to be treated equally. And we have the right to be free. We have these rights no matter where in the world we live or work.

Human rights have these 4 main qualities:

• universal – they belong to everyone
• indivisible – they can NOT be divided
• inalienable – they can NOT be taken away
• interrelated – they all connect with each other

Universal

Everyone has human rights. These rights do NOT depend on any personal characteristic including these:

• your age
• your ethnicity
• your gender
• your language
• your nationality
• your race
• your religion

Indivisible

All human rights are equally important. One is NOT more important than another.

Inalienable

You are born with your human rights. No one can give them to you and no one can take them away.

Interrelated

Respect for one right leads to respect for the other rights.

More information

• Who has human rights?
• What is a human rights abuse?