Human Rights is the idea that all people should have rights.

These rights are seen as universal, which means they are meant for everyone, no matter what their race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, age, sex, political beliefs, intelligence, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Human rights are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being. These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in local, regional, national and international law. Because people believe that human rights are important, countries make laws to protect them. These laws says that governments cannot take away people's basic rights. They make sure who take away other people's rights are punished. n our country, we have the !hilippine "ommission on Human Rights. t is an independent office created by the "onstitution of the !hilippines with the primary function of investigating all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights in the !hilippines. t has been discussed that all human beings upon birth automatically belong to a society. They are born free, e#ual and with human dignity and rights. The first society he belongs to is his family, then at higher levels, to his neighborhood, his municipality, his country and the international community. Human rights and fundamental freedoms allow us to develop and use our human #ualities, intelligence, talents and conscience, and to satisfy our spiritual and other needs. The dignity of man and human life is inviolable. $rom the dignity of man is derived the right of every person to free development of his personality. Because of these, the %nited &ation defined Human Rights as 'those rights, which are inherent in our nature, and without which, we cannot live as human beings.' The definition given by the %nited &ation is very similar to our country's own definition of what Human Rights is, according to the !hilippine "ommission on Human Rights, Human rights are supreme, inherent and inalienable rights to life, dignity and self(development. t is the essence of these rights that makes man human. Human rights can be classified and organi)ed in a number of different ways, at an international level the most common categori)ation of human rights has been to split them into civil and political rights, and economic, social and cultural rights. The %niversal *eclaration of Human Rights included both economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights because it was based on the principle that the different rights could only successfully exist in combination+ The ideal of free human beings en,oying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may en,oy his civil and political rights, as well as his social, economic and cultural rights.

This is held to be true because without civil and political rights the public cannot assert their economic, social and cultural rights. -imilarly, without livelihoods and a working society, the public cannot assert or make use of civil or political rights. The indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights has been confirmed by the .//0 1ienna *eclaration and !rogramme of 2ction+ 2ll human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and related. The international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and e#ual manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis. ---- Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, World Conference of Human Rights, 1993

3e also learned that discrimination as to race, sex, religion, social, cultural and ethnic origin are the worst forms of human rights violations. t is defined as the failure to treat everyone alike according to the standards and rules of action. The basic provisions in the %nited &ations "harter and %niversal *eclaration of Human Rights focus on the e#uality, dignity and rights of human beings without distinction as to race, nationality or religion. 4ore elaborate provisions on discrimination are found in the nternational "ovenant on 5conomic, -ocial and "ultural Rights, the nternational "onvention on the 5limination of 2ll $orms of *iscrimination 2gainst 3omen. The other important international instruments on discrimination are the "onvention on -lavery, the nternational "onvention on the -uppression and !unishment of the "rime of 2partheid and the resolutions and declarations on labor by the nternational 6abor 7rgani)ation. 4any provisions on the nternational "ovenant on 5conomic, -ocial and "ultural Rights deal on the discrimination against the economically disadvantaged.

&on(8overnmental 7rgani)ations have a role in the promotion and protection of human rights. t is generally admitted that non(governmental organi)ations 9&87s: play a ma,or role in the general functions of %nited &ations. Their role in the promotion and protection of human rights is very significant. 2rticle ;. of the %nited &ations "harter expressly mandates the 5conomic and -ocial "ouncil to make arrangements for consultation with non(governmental organi)ations which are concerned with matters within its competence. -uch arrangements may be made with international and, where appropriate, with national organi)ations after consultation with the member of the %nited &ations concerned. -everal non(governmental organi)ations have received consultative status under this 2rticle and are allowed to sit as observers at public meetings of the "ouncil and the "ommission on Human Rights and the -ub("ommission on !revention of *iscrimination and !rotection of 4inorities in accordance with the rules

established by the "ouncil. The "ouncil has recogni)ed &87s in three categories of governmental organi)ations, namely+ .: those having basic interest in most of the activities of the council< =: the bodies having particular competence on certain aspects of the council's work< and 0: the &87s concerned with building public opinion and disseminating information.

Human Rights 5ducation The development of protective laws and the enforcement mechanisms to implement the laws are not sufficient to achieve full reali)ation of human rights. The protection and en,oyment of human rights depend on people knowing about the rights to which they are entitled and the mechanisms which are available to enforce those rights.