What are the universal human rights? - Benedetta Berti — Transcript

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1. 0:06The idea of human rights is that each one of us,
2. 0:09no matter who we are or where we are born,
3. 0:12is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms.
4. 0:16Human rights are not privileges,
5. 0:18and they cannot be granted or revoked.
6. 0:21They are inalienable and universal.
7. 0:24That may sound straighforward enough,
8. 0:26but it gets incredibly complicated
9. 0:29as soon as anyone tries to put the idea into practice.
10. 0:32What exactly are the basic human rights?
11. 0:35Who gets to pick them?
12. 0:36Who enforces them, and how?
13. 0:39The history behind the concept of human rights is a long one.
14. 0:43Throughout the centuries and across societies, religions, and cultures
15. 0:46we have struggled with defining notions of rightfulness, justice, and rights.
16. 0:52But one of the most modern affirmations of universal human rights
17. 0:55emerged from the ruins of World War II with the creation of the United Nations.
18. 1:00The treaty that established the UN gives as one of its purposes
19. 1:03to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.
20. 1:08And with the same spirit,
21. 1:09in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
22. 1:16This document, written by an international committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt,
23. 1:20lays the basis for modern international human rights law.
24. 1:24The declaration is based on the principle
25. 1:26that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
26. 1:32It lists 30 articles recognizing, among other things,
27. 1:35the principle of nondiscrimination and the right to life and liberty.
28. 1:39It refers to negative freedoms, like the freedom from torture or slavery,
29. 1:44as well as positive freedoms,
30. 1:45such as the freedom of movement and residence.
31. 1:49It encompasses basic civil and political rights,
32. 1:51such as freedom of expression, religion, or peaceful assembly,
33. 1:55as well as social, economic, and cultural rights,
34. 1:59such as the right to education
35. 2:00and the right to freely choose one's occupation
36. 2:03and be paid and treated fairly.
37. 2:06The declaration takes no sides as to which rights are more important,
38. 2:10insisting on their universality,
39. 2:11indivisibility,
40. 2:13and interdependence.
41. 2:15And in the past decades, international human rights law has grown,
42. 2:19deepening and expanding our understanding of what human rights are,
43. 2:22and how to better protect them.
44. 2:25So if these principles are so well-developed,
45. 2:27then why are human rights abused and ignored time and time again
46. 2:31all over the world?
47. 2:34The problem in general is that it is not at all easy
48. 2:38to universally enforce these rights or to punish transgressors.
49. 2:42The UDHR itself, despite being highly authoritative and respected,
50. 2:46is a declaration, not a hard law.
51. 2:49So when individual countries violate it,
52. 2:51the mechanisms to address those violations are weak.
53. 2:55For example, the main bodies within the UN in charge of protecting human rights
54. 3:00mostly monitor and investigate violations,
55. 3:03but they cannot force states to, say, change a policy or compensate a victim.
56. 3:10That's why some critics say it's naive to consider human rights a given
57. 3:13in a world where state interests wield so much power.
58. 3:18Critics also question the universality of human rights
59. 3:21and emphasize that their development
60. 3:23has been heavily guided by a small number of mostly Western nations
61. 3:27to the detriment of inclusiveness.
62. 3:30The result?
63. 3:31A general bias in favor of civil policital liberties
64. 3:33over sociopolitical rights
65. 3:36and of individual over collective or groups rights.
66. 3:40Others defend universal human rights laws
67. 3:43and point at the positive role they have on setting international standards
68. 3:47and helping activists in their campaigns.
69. 3:50They also point out
70. 3:51that not all international human rights instruments are powerless.
71. 3:55For example, the European Convention on Human Rights establishes a court
72. 3:59where the 47 member countries and their citizens can bring cases.
73. 4:03The court issues binding decisions that each member state must comply with.
74. 4:08Human rights law is constantly evolving
75. 4:11as are our views and definitions of what the basic human rights should be.
76. 4:16For example, how basic or important is the right to democracy
77. 4:19or to development?
78. 4:21And as our lives are increasingly digital,
79. 4:23should there be a right to access the Internet?
80. 4:26A right to digital privacy?
81. 4:28What do you think?