The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation. It includes 47 member states, 27 of which are members of the European Union.
In 1948, the UN issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which set human rights standards for all nations. It stated that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. . . . Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.” The declaration further listed specific rights that all human beings should have. Later, in the Helsinki Accords of 1975, the UN addressed the issues of freedom of movement and freedom to publish and exchange information.
Both the declaration and the accords are nonbinding. However, the sentiments in these documents inspired many people around the world. They made a commitment to ensuring that basic human rights are respected. The UN and other international agencies, such as Amnesty International, identify and publicize human rights violations. They also encourage people to work toward a world in which liberty and
justice are guaranteed for all.
Continuing Rights Violations Despite the best efforts of various human rights organizations, protecting human rights remains an uphill battle. Serious violations of fundamental rights continue to occur around the world.
One type of violation occurs when governments try to
stamp out political dissent, or the difference of opinion
over political issues. In many countries around the world,
from Cuba to Iran to Myanmar, individuals and groups have
been persecuted for holding political views that differ from
those of the people in power. In some countries, ethnic or
racial hatreds lead to human rights abuses. In Rwanda, for
example, fighting between Hutus and Tutsis—the two main
ethnic groups—led to horrendous rights violations. In 1994,
Hutus massacred about 500,000 Tutsis in one of the worst
cases of genocide.
Women’s Status Improves In the past, when women in
Western nations entered the work force, they often faced
discrimination in employment and salary. In non-Western
countries, many women not only faced discrimination in
jobs, they were denied access to education. In regions torn
by war or ethnic conflict, they were often victims of violence and abuse. As women suffered, so too did their family
members, especially children.
However, in the 1970s, a heightened awareness of human
rights encouraged women in many countries to work to
improve their lives. They pushed for new laws and government policies that gave them greater equality. In 1975, the
UN held the first of several international conferences on
women’s status in the world. The fourth conference was
held in Beijing, China, in 1995. It addressed such issues as
preventing violence against women and empowering
women to take leadership roles in politics and in business.
In 2000, the UN reviewed the status of women. Its report,
titled Progress of the World’s Women 2000, found that
women had made notable gains during the 1990s, especially
in the areas of education and work. Even so, the report concluded that gender inequality—the difference between
men and women in terms of wealth and status—still very
much existed.
