What Are Human Rights?

Everyone in the world is entitled to the same fundamental human rights. There are 30 of them, in fact. They are the universal human rights that we, as citizens of this world, have agreed we are all entitled to. They include the right to live free from torture, the right to live free from slavery, the right to own property, and the right to equality and dignity, and to live free from all forms of discrimination.

  • Human rights describe how we instinctively expect to be treated as persons.
  • Human rights define what we are all entitled to a life of equality, dignity, respect, and a life free from discrimination.
  • You do not have to earn your human rights. You are born with them. They are the same for every person.
  • Nobody can give them to you. But they can be taken away.
  • Countries have human rights laws to make sure that people and governments are held accountable if your human rights are not respected. In Canada, your human rights are protected by provincial, territorial, federal and international laws.
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