Strange as it may seem, many citizens know nothing about human rights, many treat this issue with disdain, some with apprehension, perhaps afraid of being accused of some kind of opposition. Meanwhile, civil rights have been thought about since antique society. The ancient Athenians had equal rights before the law. Thanks to this, the life of citizens in democratic Athens was much more pleasant and predictable than in the neighboring military-aristocratic Sparta. It should be noted that the interests of women and slaves in Athens were not taken into account in any way, but this is also characteristic of some modern countries. What are human rights and what kinds of rights exist?
Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights
Human rights are rules that protect the dignity and freedom of each person. The list of human rights can vary from state to state.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations on 10 December 1948, is the universal international document that lists the basic rights of people. They can be roughly divided into five large groups.
Economic. Articles 23, 24 of the document. Everyone can freely choose their work activity, work in good conditions for fair pay without any signs of discrimination, which guarantees him and his family a dignified existence.
In order to defend their interests, citizens have the right to participate in the trade union movement.
The employee has rationed working hours and paid vacations.
Social. Articles 22, 25, 26, 28. They specify that everyone can count on social security, including quality medical care.
Everyone has the right to expect assistance from the state in cases of unemployment, illness, disability, old age, loneliness, and absence of means of subsistence due to circumstances beyond the control of a citizen.
Special care with respect to the mother and child. A child born out of wedlock is treated in the same way as a child born into a complete family.
Every citizen must be educated, and schooling must be free of charge. Vocational and technical training must be available to everyone. Higher education should be available according to one’s abilities.
The aim of education is to form a harmonious personality, respectful of individual human rights. It must form the concept of tolerance and friendship between different peoples, races and religions, and promote peace.
Parents have an advantage in choosing the educational system for their own children.
Cultural. Art. 27: Everyone has the opportunity to participate in cultural life, engage in science, and enjoy the arts.
Civ. Art. 1-17. All persons are born free and equal, regardless of a person’s race, color, religion, or the territory in which they reside. Citizens have the right to life, liberty, and security of person. Slavery, torture, humiliation, punishment, and discrimination are prohibited.
Everyone is equal before the law. No one may be arrested, expelled, detained, or found guilty without a court order.
No one may intrude on personal or family life, nor infringe on the inviolability of the home.
Anyone may move about the world and choose a country for residence or asylum, may not be deprived of citizenship or property.
Men and women can start a family.
Political. Art. 18-21. All have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as freedom of opinion and the opportunity to express them.
All citizens may assemble peacefully, take part in the government of the country, and have access to public office.
The basis of all government is the will of the people, everyone may be elected or elected in fair and open elections.
Why a person needs to know his or her rights
Every person must know and respect his rights in order to be able to defend them, to prove his own right.
Such a citizen will not work for a penny, he expects from the state high-quality medical and social services, good education for his children. This citizen is sure that the source of power is the people, who choose and control their rulers. He knows that law enforcement agencies are bound by the law, that everyone has the right to protection, etc.
A citizen who knows and respects his rights is not likely to violate and trample on the rights of other citizens, even if they are very different from him in many ways. He lives in harmony with himself and the people around him.
