Understanding Human Rights: Characteristics and Generations

Characteristics of Human Rights

Human rights are the most basic moral requirements that must be met to show due respect for the dignity of persons. If not met, a just society cannot be built.

• Universal: Recognizing all human beings without excluding anyone. Every human being must be treated as an equal.
• Preferred: Human rights take precedence and should be protected as a priority, such as the right to life and health.
• Inalienable: You cannot lose them; they do not expire or prescribe. They are valid for everyone at all times. For example, freedom of expression must be matched with the right to privacy and reputation.
• Non-transferable: They cannot be assigned or transferred to others, such as the right to vote.
• Indivisible, interdependent, non-negotiable: All human rights are equally important. It is wrong to deny the protection of some to meet others.

Religious Beliefs as the Basis for Human Rights

From this point of view, human rights can be understood as a new way of expressing the idea that everyone is our neighbor and that we should treat each other as brothers.

Common Human Nature

From this point of view, human rights are a discovery in the process of adaptation and survival of the species. Either we behave with respect and brotherhood, respecting human rights, or we run the risk of disappearing.

Communicative Rationality and Mutual Recognition

Other philosophers have suggested that we can find a basis for affirming human rights in our own ability to think, speak, and communicate. In this capacity, we mean when we say that people are beings endowed with reason or rationality.

Human rights express these universal standards of conduct we found when we consider that every person is an interlocutor, able to talk and express their understanding of right and justice.

First Generation: The Rights of Freedom

This generation is that of civil and political rights: the right to life and limb, to think and speak freely, to meet with whomever you want, etc. These rights are inspired by freedom.

• Status of law: That is, the kind of state where everyone, especially the public authorities, are obliged by law to respect the basic rights of individuals.

Second Generation: Equal Rights

This generation refers to economic, social, and cultural rights, such as the right to employment and fair salary, health, education, etc.

For the first-generation rights not to be a privilege of the few, but a reality for everyone, the second generation states a set of demands for equality.

• The social state of law: That is the kind of state that guarantees the same basic freedoms as above and attempts to redistribute wealth to ensure that all people have basic needs covered.

Third-Generation: Solidarity Rights

This generation includes every person's right to be born and live in a healthy environment and a peaceful society, and the right to development. Because they are so basic, without them, it can be difficult to realize the rights of the first and second generation.

International solidarity is needed so they can fulfill those rights of the third generation.

Emergence of New Human Rights in the Future

It is necessary to establish new human rights to protect integrity and dignity. Otherwise, we risk returning to the law of the jungle. Respect for human rights marks the border between civilized life and barbarism.

Outline of Action for Human Rights

• Disseminate: Make them known to all people so they can claim them and help protect them.
• Require compliance with the authorities and individuals, exhausting all legal means to do so.
• Involve and participate in voluntary organizations that work for them.