Human rights
Human rights are fundamental rights and freedoms regarded as belonging to every person, regardless of nationality, status, or other characteristics.
Human dignity: The inherent worth attributed to every person, often treated as a foundation for equal rights. Human rights protections are commonly justified by the equal dignity of all people.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: A 1966 United Nations treaty requiring states parties to respect and ensure specified civil and political rights. It sets binding treaty obligations for protections such as life, liberty, and fair trial.
Natural rights: Rights understood as inherent in human nature rather than created by governments. This tradition supplied a major philosophical basis for claims to rights governments must respect.
Cultural relativism: The view that beliefs and practices should be understood in relation to their cultural settings rather than universal standards. It challenges whether rights standards can be applied uniformly across different societies.
Universalism: The view that certain principles or rights apply to all people, across cultures and political communities. Universality distinguishes human rights from benefits granted only to citizens or members of a group.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: A 1966 United Nations treaty establishing obligations concerning economic, social, and cultural rights. It addresses rights to conditions such as education, health, work, and social security.
Magna Carta: A 1215 charter that constrained the English king and affirmed protections for certain subjects. Its limited protections became part of a longer history of resistance to arbitrary power.
State sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern its territory and conduct its affairs without external control. Claims of sovereignty can conflict with international scrutiny of domestic rights practices.
Equality before the law: The principle that laws should apply equally and provide equal protection without unjustified discrimination. Equal legal protection gives practical force to the promise that rights belong to everyone.
Human Rights Committee: A United Nations treaty body that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Its reviews and decisions help assess how states meet covenant obligations.