'' Human Rights are as old as the human civilization itself.''

If we put it differently the protection of one’s person and property is inherent in the nature of man.

Simply speaking Human Rights are the rights which any human being on this earth must enjoy because he is a human being.

'' The starting point of the problems of the Human Rights order is with the human being himself, be it slavery, bonded labour, women subordination, child abuse custodial death and all other social evils, the list is almost endless.''

Human rights are like Armour:

• They protect you;

• They are like rules, because they tell you how you can behave;

• And they are like judges, because you can appeal to them.

• They are abstract – like emotions;

• And like emotions, they belong to everyone and they exist no matter what happens.

• They are like nature because they can be violated;

• And like the spirit because they cannot be destroyed.

• Like time, they treat us all in the same way – rich and poor, old and young, white and black, tall and short.

• They offer us respect, and they charge us to treat others with respect.

• Like goodness, truth and justice, we may sometimes disagree about their definition, but we recognize them when we see them.

Key Values:

• Two of the key values that lie at the core of the idea of human rights are 'human dignity and equality.'

• Human rights can be understood as defining those basic standards which are necessary for a life of dignity; and their universality is derived from the fact that in this respect, at least, all humans are equal. We should not, and cannot, discriminate between them.

• Many other values can be derived from these two fundamental ones and can help to define more precisely how in practice people and societies should co-exist. For example:

• Freedom: because the human will is an important part of human dignity. To be forced to do something against our will demeans the human spirit.

• Respect for others: because a lack of respect for someone fails to appreciate their individuality and essential dignity.

• Non-discrimination: because equality in human dignity means we should not judge people's rights and opportunities on the basis of their characteristics.

• Tolerance: because intolerance indicates a lack of respect for difference; and equality does not signify uniformity.

• Justice: because people equal in their humanity deserve fair treatment

• Responsibility: because respecting the rights of others entails responsibility for one's actions and exerting effort for the realization of the rights of one and all.

Characteristics of human rights:

• Human rights are inalienable: This means that you cannot lose them, because they are linked to the very fact of human existence, they are inherent to all human beings. In particular circumstances some – though not all – may be suspended or restricted.

  For example, if someone is found guilty of a crime, his or her liberty can be taken away; or in times of national emergency, a government may declare this publicly and then derogate from some rights, for example in imposing a curfew restricting freedom of movement.

• Human rights are indivisible, interdependent and interrelated: This means that different human rights are intrinsically connected and cannot be viewed in isolation from each other. The enjoyment of one right depends on the enjoyment of many other rights and no one right is more important than the rest.

• Human rights are universal: Which means that they apply equally to all people everywhere in the world, and with no time limit. Every individual is entitled to enjoy his or her human rights without distinction of "race" or ethnic background, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, birth or other status.

"State sovereignty implies responsibility, and the primary responsibility for the protection of its people lies with the state itself.''

Human Rights Challenges:

• Poverty and global inequities

• Discrimination

• Armed conflict and violence

• Impunity

• Democracy deficits

• Weak institutions

The Challenges of Implementation:

• The knowledge gap

• The capacity gap

• The commitment gap

• The security gap

''We all know what the problems are, and we all know what we have promised to achieve. What is needed now is not more declarations or promises, but action to fulfill the promises already made.''

—Kofi Annan Former Secretary-General, United Nations.

The Future of Human Rights after COVID19:

The Coronavirus crisis may not cause huge alterations in the conventional relationships between nations or amongst world powers. But it would, inevitably, affect the relationship between governments and citizens, in terms with the extent of the state’s intervention in micro-managing the lives of individuals.

Each country’s respect to human rights and individual freedoms would be highly affected by this change.

Therefore, we should prepare for this change by restructuring the internal systems, goals, and visions of the international bodies commissioned with the task to promote and protect human rights values and principles, on the global level, and monitoring their application, on the domestic level

'' To make the case for human rights, we need to promise a brighter future.''

At Amnesty International we have a saying:

''better to light a candle than curse the darkness. ''

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