Every human being is born with certain fundamental rights. They are called rights rather than privileges because they cannot be taken away at someone else’s whim and must be enjoyed by all, equally. They are fundamentally enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and can be accessed and enforced by individuals through national legal systems, international treaties and regional bodies.
They are not a Western invention or 20th-century creation but a response to the search for justice and the need to ensure basic well-being. They have been a common feature of many cultures and traditions for as long as there have been human beings.
As a result, the concept of human rights is incredibly broad and covers a vast number of areas. This makes it difficult to find universally accepted black and white answers to the questions it raises. But it is important to remember that there are areas of agreement. For example, whereas once it might have been acceptable to tolerate slavery or female genital mutilation ‘in the name of culture’, today these practices are broadly condemned.
The United Nations is the primary body charged with defending and promoting human rights internationally. It has a range of mechanisms for addressing human rights violations, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and special procedures, which consist of independent experts with country- or thematic mandates to investigate specific cases of abuse. It is also through these mechanisms that individuals can seek redress against states or other duty-bearers that violate their rights.