Human Rights
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. – Nelson Mandela

image by: North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
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What are human rights?
Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings - they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental - the right to life - to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food, education, work, health, and liberty.
Resources
The Ailing Human Rights Industry
At this year’s Oslo Freedom Forum, even the most sanguine activists struggled to overcome a sense of drift and impotence.
Human rights in the US are worse than you think
From police shootings to voter suppression to arrests of asylum seekers, a new report finds US human rights are abysmal.
Spyware is huge threat to global human rights and democracy, expert warns
The mercenary spyware industry represents “one of the greatest contemporary threats to civil society, human rights and democracy”, a leading cybersecurity expert warns, as countries grapple with the unregulated spread of powerful and invasive surveillance tools.
The pandemic has eroded democracy and respect for human rights
The pandemic has been terrible not only for the human body but also for the body politic. Freedom House, a think-tank in Washington, counts 80 countries where the quality of democracy and respect for human rights have deteriorated since the pandemic began.
Why Countries Make Human Rights Pledges They Have No Intention of Honoring
So why do they do it? It may have less to do with international validation than domestic politics. The authors say it’s possible “that governments sometimes see ratification as a small concession to their domestic political opponents” or, in a darker scenario, that “treaty ratification is a signal to domestic opponents that officials are willing to torture, despite such commitments.”
What are human rights?
Human rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status...
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where every member of the LGBTQ+ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear, and with equality under the law. We empower our 3 million members and supporters to mobilize against attacks on the most marginalized people in our community.
Human Rights First
We work to actualize free and equal societies, leading actions that hold oppressors accountable and free people from injustice.
Human Rights Watch
Our researchers work in the field in 100 some countries, uncovering facts that create an undeniable record of human rights abuses.
Oxford Consortium for Human Rights
The Oxford Consortium for Human Rights (OCHR) hosts teaching and research seminars on human rights, global conflict, humanitarian aid, peace building, and related subjects. Our aim is to understand and develop constructive solutions to the problems of today, drawing from scholars and students from a wide variety of disciplines.
Journal of Human Rights
The Journal of Human Rights seeks to broaden the study of human rights by fostering the critical re-examination of existing approaches to human rights, as well as developing new perspectives on the theory and practice of human rights.

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