Human rights are basic rights that all human beings have regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, national or ethnic origin, skin color, place of residence, religion, or other status. These rights cannot be obtained and cannot be taken away, but can be suppressed or violated by individuals, nations, or governments. While there are a number of national and international laws that apply to protect human rights, everyone has an affirmative obligation to contribute to and protect these rights. Individuals can support human rights locally by participating in activism activities, or professionally by becoming a human rights lawyer or working for human rights organizations.
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Part 1 of 3: Understanding Human Rights
Step 1. Respect civil rights
In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which is a list of human rights inherent to all people. Members of the United Nations pledge to protect and support these rights. The greatest concentration of rights in the UDHR can be categorized as "civil rights", which are rights relating to the physical integrity and protection of a person under the law. The first eighteen principles of the UDHR establish individual civil rights, which include:
- The right to equality and the right to life, liberty and personal security.
- Freedom from discrimination, slavery, and from torture and degrading treatment.
- The right to be recognized as a person before the law and equality under the law.
- The right to pardon from a competent court and to a fair public trial.
- Freedom from arbitrary arrest and exile and from interference with privacy, family, home and correspondence.
- The right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
- The right to freely enter and exit the territory of one's own country and the right to asylum from persecution in other countries.
- The right to citizenship and the freedom to change it.
- The right to marry and have a family, and own property.
- Freedom of belief and religion.
Step 2. Respect political rights
Political human rights include rights related to one's participation in government and freedom from government interference. These rights are enshrined in Articles 19 to 21 of the UDHR and include:
- Freedom of opinion and expression and the right to information.
- Freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
- The right to participate in government, equal access to public services in the country, and the right to vote in free elections.
Step 3. Respect economic and social rights
These rights define the necessary conditions for individuals to prosper and have an adequate standard of living. Articles 22 to 26 of the UDHR stipulate economic and social rights, which include:
- Right to social security.
- The right to participate in desired work and join trade unions.
- The right to rest and relaxation and a standard of living adequate for one's health and well-being.
- The right to education, which is free during the basic and fundamental stages of development.
Step 4. Respect cultural rights
Article 27 of the UDHR establishes a person's cultural rights. These rights include the right to participate in the cultural life of the community and the protection of an individual's moral and material interests in one's own scientific, literary or artistic production.
Part 2 of 3: Protecting and Supporting Human Rights in Private Life
Step 1. Carry out duties to protect and support human rights
The task of protecting and supporting human rights is not limited to the United Nations or the government alone. Everyone has an affirmative obligation to help create an environment that supports and respects human rights.
Step 2. Learn about human rights
There are a number of ways you can learn about human rights, human rights abuses, and activism in the human rights field.
- Take training at your local college on human rights. Depending on the training you choose, you may receive an introduction to human rights and the law, how to monitor and protect those rights and the steps taken to respond to human rights violations.
- There are a number of free online courses on human rights that you can take. You can find some of these courses at:
Step 3. Participate in local human rights activism
Not everyone is capable of advocating for human rights on an international or national scale. However, there is much work that individuals can do locally to advance and support human rights.
- Attend local events sponsored by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. By participating in local events against human rights abuses, such as protesting the death penalty, your actions are part of a larger collective action against injustice. You can find local events on Amnesty International's website:
- Sign or create petitions related to human rights issues. Perhaps you are passionate about adequate housing for all or food for children living in poverty and there may be others who are just as passionate as you are. By petitioning to support local or national laws, you are actively supporting and protecting human rights. Amnesty International has a number of human rights petitions at
- Support politicians who have a real commitment to human rights issues.
Step 4. Document human rights violations
If you witness a violation of any of the human rights set out in the UDHR (discussed above), you can report this violation to an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving human rights for all. To file a complaint about a human rights violation, you must be able to document and provide the following information:
- Find out the specific article of the UDHR that was violated.
- List all the facts related to human rights violations in detail, and if possible, list them in chronological order.
- Attach the date, time and place of the incident; the name and position of the perpetrator; place of detention if applicable; names and addresses of witnesses and other important details.
Step 5. Report local human rights violations to a trusted organization
After documenting local human rights violations, you must report these violations to a trusted organization dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. Even if the perpetrator is not criminally charged, by reporting a violation, you are enabling this organization to explain the violation and hopefully urge the perpetrator to change their behavior. You can report human rights violations to:
- Amnesty International at:
- National Human Rights Commission (KOMNAS HAM) at:
- Komnas Perempuan at:
- Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) at:
- You can find links to additional organizations at:
Step 6. Report serious human rights violations to the United Nations
If you witness serious human rights violations, especially atrocities committed by governments and you are not sure who to contact, you can report these violations directly to the United Nations Human Rights Subcommittee. You must prepare a written complaint, which includes:
- Your name or the name of the organization filing the complaint and a clear statement of whether you wish to remain anonymous.
- Complaints must clearly state and disclose patterns of significant and consistently documented human rights violations.
- You must identify the victims of human rights violations as well as the perpetrators and provide a detailed description of the violations.
- Include evidence such as statements by victims, medical reports, or other information that can support your complaint.
- State clearly which rights are being violated, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Give your reasons for requesting UN intervention.
- Show that you have no other solution.
- Your complaint can be sent to: Commission/Sub-Commission Team (1503 Procedure), Support Services Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Office at Geneva, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
- Complaints can also be faxed to +41 22 9179011 or via email to: CP(at) ohchr.org.
Part 3 of 3: Protecting Human Rights in Professional Life
Step 1. Titi a career as a human rights lawyer
National and international law is the main way to guarantee and protect human rights. Therefore, pursuing a career as a human rights lawyer is a very direct way of professionally protecting human rights worldwide or in your own country. Human rights lawyers file cases on behalf of victims of human rights violations and against state or government actors who violate national and international laws.
Step 2. Participate in a human rights-related scholarship program
If you are unsure about how best to use your skills to support human rights, you may consider participating in the United Nations human rights scholarship program. These programs are run worldwide and provide selected people with an intensive introduction to and understanding of human rights mechanisms and international institutions. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) offers four scholarship programs:
- Indigenous Scholarship Programme, which is intended for members of indigenous groups seeking training in human rights.
- The Minority Scholarship Program is for people belonging to a national, ethnic, religious, or linguistic minority who will receive training on human rights.
- The LDC Human Rights scholarship program is a program for graduate students from least developed countries who wish to participate in training on the United Nations and human rights.
- Scholarships for Staff of the National Institute of Human Rights (NHRI) provide NHRI staff members with training on international human rights and OHCHR's work with NHRIs.
- You can find application information and instructions at:
Step 3. Work for human rights organizations
There are many organizations dedicated to supporting and protecting human rights. These organizations employ a wide range of staff including activists, administrative assistants, and people working on campaigns, policy positions, and lobbying. If you are interested in pursuing a career in human rights, consider:
- Try to get as many internships and volunteer opportunities as possible as a way to get a better understanding of the work this organization does and whether you are genuinely interested in it.
- Read about human rights and think about how you can contribute to this movement.
- Study or internship abroad while studying and learning another language.
- Learn how to write a grant application, raise funds, research and write, all of which are essential skills for working in a non-governmental organization (NGO).
- You can review the list of human rights organizations, along with contact information, at:
Step 4. Be a political leader dedicated to human rights
Governments have the primary responsibility to protect and support human rights. They must pass laws that establish and protect the human rights of all citizens and actively refrain from violating these rights. If you are interested in politics, you should consider a career as a board member. In this role, you will have the ability to apply for human rights laws, advocate for your position, and ultimately support laws that protect human rights.
