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Human rights are the basic freedoms and dignity that belong to every person in the world, from birth to death. They are inalienable, meaning no one can voluntarily give them up or let others take them away from them. They are civil, political, economic and social rights, and they are indivisible; the realization of one right often depends wholly or partly on the realization of other rights.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there were a series of important advances in human rights – the abolition of slavery, the provision of education and the extension of political rights, for example. However, a majority of governments at that time tacitly accepted that the Universal Declaration did not require them to enforce its broad-reaching principles within their borders.
Even today, human rights violations are common throughout the world. Women and children continue to be subjected to discrimination, the press is not free in many countries and dissenters are silenced. In some instances, these rights are violated on a massive scale and the consequences are devastating – millions of people were killed in the Holocaust and the horrors of WWII.
Human rights lawyers and activists play a vital role in the battle to promote and protect these fundamental freedoms. They are on the front lines of combating injustice, and they help shape laws that guarantee equality and civil protections for all. A degree specialization in human rights equips you with the skills and expertise needed to lead positive change, anywhere in the world.