Why are human rights important?

Human rights are "a global taonga" (a cultural treasure). As government representatives said when the UN General Assembly adopted (without dissent) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948:

"Civilization has progressed slowly, through centuries of persecution and tyranny, until, finally, the present declaration has been drawn up. It is not the work of a few representatives in the Assembly...it is the achievement of generations of human beings"  - Abdul Rahman Kayaly (Syria)

"Throughout many centuries of political struggle to bring about human unity, the climax has now been reached…. The historic moment has come to proclaim the dignity of man and his faith in the progress of society, as well as in legal standards which will  lead him towards a new era of justice and culture." - Carrera Andrade (Ecuador)

"a step forward in a great evolutionary process.... Millions of people, men, women and children all over the world, will turn to it for help, guidance and inspiration."  - HV Evatt (President UNGA, Australia)

Human rights ideals and the international human rights framework that has developed have also become a powerful tool for empowerment of the vulnerable, analysis of social problems and cohesion in increasingly diverse societies and a globalising world.

There has been an increase in the understanding and application of human rights ideas over recent decades. This has had many positive results and promises more. Knowledge about human rights can empower individuals and promote solutions for specific problems. Values of tolerance and equality promote the reduction of friction within society. Proper observance of human rights promotes the security and well-being of all people, including people living in countries overseas.

Action on human rights develops our ideas about the kind of society we want to live in. Such action can include community discussions, incorporation by administrators of human rights ideas into practical programs, activism on issues of concern and legislation by governments, among many other things.

Human rights are relevant to how people interact with others at all levels in society - in the family, the community, in educational institutions, the workplace, in politics and in international relations. It is vital therefore that people everywhere should strive to understand what human rights are. When people better understand human rights, it will be easier for them to promote justice and the well-being of society.