No one earns their human rights; everyone is entitled to them. In 1948, the United Nations ratified The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was the first global agreement on the meaning of human rights. Subsequent treaties, national constitutions and other policies continue to define human rights and how they should be applied now and for future generations. In this article, we’ll provide 10 examples of human rights with real-world stories describing how they can be violated or protected.
#1. The right to life
The right to life (which is enshrined in places like Article 3 of the UDHR and Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights) guarantees all persons the right to life, liberty and security. This right means no one – including individuals and the government – can kill you without consequence. The State must protect human rights, so governments must do everything possible to safeguard human life.
A human rights story: Mother seeks justice after Russia kills her family
In 2000, during the Second Chechen War, the Russian military promised rebel soldiers safe passage from a city. However, a day before the evacuation, the Russian Army mined the area. Fighters sought shelter in the village of Katyr-Yurt where villagers were not told they were coming or how to escape safely. An aviation bomb dropped from a plane, killing a local man and his three daughters. His mother sought justice, and in Isayeva v Russia, the European Court of Human Rights found a violation of the right to life. Even though the violence occurred during wartime, the Russian military did not try to protect civilians or perform a thorough investigation afterward, making their actions a violation of human rights.
#2. The right to freedom from torture
Freedom from torture and inhumane treatment is in Article 5 of the UDHR and in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which was adopted in 1984. “Torture” is defined as both physical or mental severe pain or suffering inflicted for reasons like trying to get a confession or punishing someone for an action.
A human rights story: Survivors of Abu Ghraib torture win in court
After the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, the military took over Abu Ghraib, a maximum security prison. That same year, pictures of American soldiers torturing prisoners began to emerge. Investigations revealed rampant physical, sexual and psychological torture. In 2024, a federal court found that a private contractor had worked with the US military to create the conditions for the prison’s “hard site,” where the worst torture occurred. The case’s three torture survivors were awarded $42 million. Appeals are still possible, but for now, this decision is a victory for the right to freedom from torture.
#3. The right to equal treatment before the law
The right to equal treatment before the law (Article 7 of the UDHR, Protocol No. 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights, 14th Amendment of the US Constitution) means that the legal system must treat everyone fairly and equally. Different treatment, like racial discrimination or gender discrimination, violates a person’s rights.
A human rights story: The US Supreme Court finds the death penalty discriminatory
In 1967, William Furman killed a homeowner during a botched robbery in Savannah, Georgia. Despite suffering from psychosis and other impairments, Furman stood trial, where he testified that the shooting was an accident. A jury of 11 white people and one Black person sentenced him to death anyway. Furman’s lawyer took the case to the Supreme Court. In 1972, the Court ruled that because the death penalty led to discriminatory results (Furman was Black, as were most people who received death sentences), it violated the 14th Amendment. Furman’s death sentence was overturned, as were the death sentences of 589 others. Sadly, the death penalty was reissued just a few years later, making it an ongoing human rights issue in the United States.
#4. The right to freedom of movement
The right to freedom of movement includes the right to live within a country’s borders, the right to move freely within those borders, and the right to leave a country. Some restrictions are lawful for public health or national security. Freedom of movement is protected in places like Article 13 of the UDHR, Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 45 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
A human rights story: Women in Saudi Arabia slowly gain more independence
Saudi Arabia has a history of restricting women’s right to movement; until 2018, women weren’t allowed to apply for a passport without a male guardian’s permission or even drive. In 2022, Saudi Arabia passed a Personal Status Law that authorities claimed was a major reform for women. According to advocacy groups like Amnesty International, the law still protects male dominance. Divorced mothers don’t share equal rights with men, which makes it harder for them to travel with their kids or move overseas. It will take more reforms to fully guarantee the right to freedom of movement.
#5. The right to return
People have the right to leave their country, but they also have the right to return. Documents like the UDHR, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and various treaties recognize that everyone has the right to go home if they choose to. This protects people’s right to go back to their countries after a violent conflict, a natural disaster or other crisis that forced them to leave.
A human rights story: Exiled Palestinians keep the keys to their family homes
When the state of Israel was established in 1948, military forces displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during what’s known as the Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic. As a video from Al Jazeera describes, exiled Palestinians have been holding onto house keys, some for homes left in 1948. In many cases, the homes have been destroyed; the keys are symbolic of the intent to return to their homeland. The UN has repeatedly affirmed that Palestinian refugees have the right to return and receive compensation, but Israel continues to displace and oppress Palestinians.
#6. The right to asylum
The right to asylum protects a person’s right to seek protection in another country if they’re facing persecution or are very likely to face persecution. Most people seeking asylum are oppressed based on factors like gender, race, nationality, sexuality or political opinion. Article 14 of the UDHR and the 1951 UN Refugee Convention are just two documents enshrining this right.
A human rights story: A community rallies for a family seeking asylum
In 2018, Australia rejected the asylum claim of the Nadesalingam family, who had lived in the country for years. The government’s policy was (and still is, at the time of writing in 2025) to not allow asylum seekers to arrive by boat, like the Nadesalingam family. The couple and their daughters were detained for 1,500 days, but their community led a campaign to keep them in the country. Finally, due to public pressure, Australia gave them permanent visas. Many human rights organizations believe Australia’s strict rules on asylum fail to protect the rights of asylum-seekers like the Nadesalingams.
#7. The right to marry
The right to marry is in Article 16 of the UDHR, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. There are some restrictions. For example, you can’t marry someone against their will. Most States also restrict marriage between close relatives. Marriage restrictions have historically oppressed LGBTQ+ couples, but significant progress has been made.
A human rights story: Greece legalizes gay marriage
As a deeply conservative country, Greece has been slow to adopt many of Europe’s policies on equality and human rights. In 2024, the government finally passed a law allowing gay couples to marry and adopt children. Three weeks after the law’s passage, a novelist and his partner became the first same-sex couple to marry in Athens’ city hall. Greece is the first country in south-eastern Europe and the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to achieve marriage equality.
#8. The right to freedom of thought
Freedom of thought, which also includes the freedom of opinion and expression, ensures a person’s right to hold and express thoughts and opinions without interference, punishment or coercion. This right doesn’t protect all types of speech or actions, like direct threats, incitement of violence or fraud. What should or shouldn’t count as protected speech or freedom of expression is frequently debated. Article 18 and 19 of the UDHR protect freedom of thought and opinion, as does Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the First Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights.
A human rights story: American students win the right to protest against war
Before Christmas break in 1965, 13-year-old Mary Beth Tinker and a group of friends walked into their Iowa high school wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The students were suspended when they refused to remove the bands. Instead of accepting the punishment, Mary Beth and the other students sued. The four-year court battle went to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the students had a right to wear the bands. The opinion includes the famous line, “[Students} do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”
#9. The right to education
Everyone deserves an education, which includes free and universal primary school, available and accessible secondary education, and technical and vocational training opportunities. In other words, “education” doesn’t only include classroom learning. The right to education is enshrined in places like Article 26 of the UDHR and Article 14 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
A human rights story: Education activist Malala survives an assassination attempt
Malala Yousafzai loved learning, but in 2008, the 11-year-old had to leave her school not knowing if she could ever return. The Taliban had taken over her home in Pakistan, and one of the first things they did was ban girls from school. Malala refused to stay silent and began blogging anonymously for the BBC. When her identity was discovered, she kept advocating for education. In 2012, she survived an assassination attempt. While she had to leave Pakistan, Malala continues to fight for the right to education, especially for girls.
#10. The right to political participation
Article 21 of the UDHR states that everyone has the right to participate in the government of their country, either directly or through elected representatives. Political participation includes protesting, voting, running for office, volunteering for campaigns, and joining and forming political parties. Governments that restrict public participation through legislation or coercion violate this right.
A human rights story: India threatens the voting rights of minorities and women
India is the world’s largest democracy, but for years, the government has increasingly embraced authoritarianism. According to the V-Dem Institute, India is now an “electoral autocracy,” which means it has autocratic traits despite still holding elections. One autocratic tactic involves disenfranchising voters. Missing Voters, a smartphone app that tracks disenfranchised voters, found that in 2019, more than half of the 120 million “missing voters” belonged to marginalized groups like Muslims, lower-caste Dalits and women. Despite knowing of the issues in its electronic voting system, India has not ensured the voting rights and political participation of its people.
