Human rights
Inherent personal liberties
Human rights are fundamental entitlements considered to belong to every person regardless of nationality, race, sex, or other status.
They include rights to life, liberty, freedom from torture, and fair treatment under law.
The concept emerged formally after World War II with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, though philosophical roots run deeper.
Human rights violations, human rights abuses, and human rights law are common collocations.
The term often appears in political discourse about government accountability: The regime's human rights record is abysmal.
Absence of unjust constraint
- emancipationRelease from legal bondage
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- assemblyConstructing from components
movement · religion · speech · press · conscience · association · thought · belief
Guaranteed judicial fairness
- fair trialImpartial judicial proceeding
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
prosecution · reparations · restitution · truth commission · impunity · remedy · redress · legal representation
Equal treatment regardless of difference
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
- parityState of being equal
equal protection · gender equality · racial equality · accessibility · anti-discrimination · equal opportunity · desegregation · suffrage
Direct effort for reform
- campaigningActively pursuing political support
- NGOIndependent charitable organization
- Amnesty InternationalHuman rights advocacy group
- petitionFormal written appeal
protest · solidarity · grassroots · awareness · lobbying · defender · whistleblower · documentation
Regard with honor
- inherentExisting as essential part
- inviolabilityProtected from transgression
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- personhoodStatus as a person
self-worth · integrity · recognition · sanctity · inalienable · universal · fundamental · birthright
Cruel or violent treatment
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
exploitation · torture · detention · disappearance · censorship · surveillance · atrocity · massacre
liberty
Absence of unjust constraint
- emancipationRelease from legal bondage
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
assembly · movement · religion · speech · press · conscience · association · thought · belief · worship
due process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
- fair trialImpartial judicial proceeding
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
tribunal · prosecution · reparations · restitution · truth commission · impunity · remedy · redress · legal representation · habeas corpus
non-discrimination
Equal treatment regardless of difference
- equityImpartial treatment or ownership value
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
parity · equal protection · gender equality · racial equality · accessibility · anti-discrimination · equal opportunity · desegregation · suffrage · marriage equality
activism
Direct effort for reform
- campaigningActively pursuing political support
- NGOIndependent charitable organization
- Amnesty InternationalHuman rights advocacy group
petition · protest · solidarity · grassroots · awareness · lobbying · defender · whistleblower · documentation · monitoring
respect
Regard with honor
- inherentExisting as essential part
- inviolabilityProtected from transgression
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
personhood · self-worth · integrity · recognition · sanctity · inalienable · universal · fundamental · birthright · humanness
abuse
Cruel or violent treatment
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- discriminationUnjust differential treatment
trafficking · exploitation · torture · detention · disappearance · censorship · surveillance · atrocity · massacre · ethnic cleansing
Human rightsprivileges
Rights granted to some
state sovereignty · martial law · disenfranchisement · absolute monarchy · statelessness
Human rightstyranny
Oppressive, absolute governance
oppression · totalitarianism · authoritarianism · despotism · dictatorship
Human rightshuman rights abuses
Violations of fundamental freedoms
slavery · persecution · torture · atrocities · genocide
human, rights, humans, humane, humanly, humanity, humanism, humanist, humanistic