The United Nations High Commission For Human Rights Essay

Introduction The Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) defines Human Rights as, â€Å"rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.† Human rights are a set of norms or standards of behaviour that are intended to protect us in order for us to live fully. They belong to everyone by virtue of us being human. The concept of Human Rights gained prominence in the 17th century in Europe but its roots can be traced to ancient times. Most cultures created their own traditions and responsibilities to protect members of those communities and ensure a better living. Murder, rape and other violations were punished in various ways by the different cultures. The use of human rights in politics was realized in different d ocuments such as the French declaration on the rights of man and citizen (1789), the English Bill of Rights (1689) and the US constitution Bill of rights (1791) and all encompass human rights. However, these were not universal laws but national laws. Moreover, they promoted discrimination of different groups plus slavery. Human rights have become universal and their history is in many struggles all over the world. Those opposed to slavery, commonly referred to as abolitionists, endedShow MoreRelatedTruth Commissions, As Outlined By The Course, Are Thought1190 Words   |  5 PagesTruth commissions, as outlined by the course, are thought of as essentially ‘good’. However, the benefit of these truth commission, what makes them good, is that they are more so learning tools for the future rather than a be-all-end-all solution for countries’ problems, as discussed in lecture. 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