Midterm Exam Notes: Human Rights (Paragraph Style)
1. Introduction to Human Rights
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that every single person has simply because they are
human beings. These rights do not need to be earned, bought, or granted by any government. They
belong to everyone automatically from the moment of birth. The main idea behind human rights is to
protect the dignity, equality, and worth of every individual. They are universal, which means they apply
to all people around the world no matter their country, religion, gender, skin color, or economic status.
They are also inalienable, meaning they cannot be taken away easily, and inherent, as they are a
natural part of being human. All human rights are connected and indivisible, so enjoying one right fully
often depends on enjoying others, such as the right to education depending on the right to food and
safety. These rights help prevent abuse and allow people to live freely and fairly. Governments have a
duty to respect, protect, and fulfill them. Common examples include the right to life, freedom from
torture, freedom of speech, right to education, and right to food.
2. Difference between Fundamental, Ordinary, and Human Rights
Human rights, fundamental rights, and ordinary rights are related but have important differences.
Human rights are the broad, universal rights that every person in the world possesses just for being
human. They come from international sources like the United Nations and apply globally. Fundamental
rights are the most important rights that are specially protected in a country’s Constitution. They are
stronger and harder to change or remove because they require a big constitutional process. These
usually apply to citizens of that country and form a national version of some human rights. Ordinary
rights, on the other hand, are normal rights created by regular laws passed by the government. They
are easier to change or cancel through simple legislative processes and apply mostly within one
country. In short, human rights act as the big international umbrella based on morality and global
standards. Fundamental rights are their stronger constitutional version inside a nation, while ordinary
rights are everyday legal rights that are weaker and more flexible. All fundamental rights are part of
human rights, but not every human right automatically becomes fundamental in every country’s law.
3. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or UDHR, is a historic document adopted by the United
Nations on 10 December 1948. It was the first international document that listed basic human rights for
all people everywhere. Although it is not a legally binding treaty, it serves as a strong moral guide and
foundation for almost all later human rights laws and treaties. The UDHR contains 30 articles that cover
different types of rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. It begins with
powerful statements such as Article 1, which says all human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights, and Article 2, which prohibits any kind of discrimination based on race, color, sex, language,
religion, or other status. Article 3 guarantees everyone the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
Other key rights include freedom from slavery and torture, right to a fair trial, freedom of speech and
religion, right to work, right to education, right to rest and leisure, and the right to marry and have a
family. The UDHR inspired more than seventy human rights treaties and is celebrated every year on
Human Rights Day, 10 December. It remains a global standard for measuring how countries treat their
people.
4. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, known as the ICCPR, is a legally binding
international treaty adopted in 1966 and put into force in 1976. Countries that sign and ratify it promise
to follow its rules as part of international law. It forms one part of the International Bill of Human Rights
along with the UDHR and the covenant on economic and social rights. The ICCPR mainly focuses on
civil and political rights, which are freedoms that protect individuals from government interference and
allow participation in public life. Important rights protected under the ICCPR include the right to life,
freedom from torture and slavery, right to liberty and security (no arbitrary arrest), right to a fair trial and
equality before the law, freedom of thought, conscience, religion, opinion, and expression, freedom of
assembly and association, right to privacy, right to vote and take part in public affairs, and protections
for minorities. Countries that join the ICCPR must respect, protect, and fulfill these rights. There is a
Human Rights Committee that monitors countries through reports and handles complaints. Some rights
can be limited during national emergencies, but core rights like freedom from torture can never be
taken away. Unlike the UDHR, which is a declaration and moral guide, the ICCPR is a covenant that
creates real legal obligations for governments.
These paragraph-style notes are easy to read, remember, and write in exams. Focus on key ideas,
dates, and differences. Good luck with your midterm!