“…recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”
—Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Human rights are the freedoms and protections that belong to every single one of us. They are inherent to all human beings, regardless of who they are, where they were born, what language they speak, the color of their skin or any other status. Human rights are not inherited, gifted or bought. The essence of human rights is to treat each other with respect and dignity. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination, no matter where they were born, how much money they have, or their gender.
Our human rights are:
- Universal—Human rights are the same for every man, woman and child across the world, no matter what their circumstances.
- Inalienable—They cannot be given to or taken away from anyone.
- Indivisible and Interdependent—all rights are of equal value and cannot be separated. No right is more important than the other. Taking away one right has a negative impact on all the other rights.
All human rights are equally important, and all governments must treat human rights in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis.
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What are Human Rights?
Human rights are defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document that acts like a global road map for freedom and equality—protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere. It was the first time countries agreed on the freedoms and rights that deserve universal protection in order for every individual to live their lives freely, equally and in dignity. The UDHR contains 30 articles proclaiming our human rights.
Article one? We are all born free and equal. We should all be treated the same way.
The 29 articles that follow include the right to seek asylum, the right to freedom from torture, the right to free speech and the rights to education, social security, health and adequate housing.
No one can take these rights and freedoms away from us. They belong to everybody.
Article 29? We all have a responsibility to respect the rights of others.
Despite the fact that the rights included in the UDHR form the basis of international human rights law, they remain a distant reality for millions throughout the world. That’s why it’s important for ordinary people to speak out whenever human rights violations happen and to keep governments, including our own, accountable.
The UDHR is the foundation of the rights that Amnesty International and its members across the world fight for day in and day out. It provides the bedrock of most of our campaigning, and it helps us to hold authorities to account when rights are abused. More than 75 years after the UDHR was adopted, and more than 65 years since Amnesty International started, we continue to take action and campaign for justice, freedom, truth and dignity wherever it has been denied. We do this by investigating and exposing human rights abuses wherever they happen, using the UDHR as our guide.
Human rights are not optional privileges or luxuries to be granted only when convenient. They create binding obligations for governments and public officials to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of all people, both within their borders and beyond. No one can take these rights and freedoms away from us. They belong to everybody.
Why Should You Care About Human Rights?
Human rights are not just about the law. They are also about the decisions we make and situations we experience on a daily basis.
If we feel annoyed with something a politician does, many of us wouldn’t think twice about talking about it with our friends online or at a coffee shop. But when you do, you are exercising a human right—your right to free speech.
That’s the thing about human rights. When they are being respected, they go almost unnoticed.
We often take our human rights for granted because they are based on principles that are intuitive—dignity, fairness, equality, respect and autonomy. More often than not, it is only when our rights are being violated that we stand up and take notice.
Unfortunately, human rights abuses are rife—thousands of people across the world are denied a fair trial, tortured and imprisoned because of what they think or believe. Hundreds of millions of children lack access to education. Nearly one in three women and girls worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.
That is why it’s important that we do not take human rights for granted. And why it’s important that they are protected under international law, so that we can hold states and people to account when they commit abuses.
Human Rights in the United States Today
Freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and the freedom of assembly and association: these are human rights we all have as enshrined in international law. Yet the Trump administration is moving quickly to trample on these rights and dangerously consolidate power. The rise of authoritarian practices, including the breakdown of the rule of law and closing of civic space, threatens human rights and cherished values of freedom, equality, and justice.
The protection of human rights doesn’t just come from bold words or lofty ideals—it depends on leaders willing to defend them, a legal system that upholds them equally for all, and the ability of individuals to safely express themselves and assemble to protect and advance rights. The actions of this administration are taking us down a dangerous path of authoritarian practices that violate and threaten human rights and our collective ability to protect them. Under the Trump administration, we are witnessing a deeply troubling pattern: repeated efforts to weaken the institutions meant to safeguard rights, suppress dissent, and sidestep accountability. These actions aren’t isolated—they signal an intentional move to dismantle checks on executive power and silence those who stand up for justice, creating a historic human rights emergency. We must urgently protect the space to question, dissent, and hold those in power accountable.
The perilous situation here in the United States is part of a global trend of rising authoritarian practices. Across the world, human rights abusers have been increasingly emboldened to roll back rights and silence dissent—attacking human rights activists and systems designed for the protection of human rights while at the same time mounting a relentless attack on the rights of marginalized populations.
As the largest grassroots human rights organization in the world, Amnesty International is no stranger to authoritarian practices or the fight against them. Every day, we’re exposing abuses, demanding accountability, and using the full force of our movement to stop authoritarian practices so we can defend human rights.