Before we can understand the Human Rights-Based approach framework (HRBA), we must understand what  Human rights are. Human Rights and Development have been central and indivisible pillars of the International Community of Nations since its inception in 1945 with the adoption of the Charter of the United Nations. As a result of the commitment from the international community to not allow atrocities of conflict, such as what happened during World War II to happen again, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in December 1948. This document is a milestone because it was the first internationally recognized document to set out fundamental human rights to be universally protected. Furthermore, this document serves “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations”. (Ref) In this sense, the principles in this document serve as the foundation for a progressive and peaceful society, where human rights recognition and observance are encouraged by all members of the society. Therefore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights functions a roadmap to guarantee the rights of every individual everywhere. (Ref )

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Now that you have read about human rights, try to think about a specific time in history when one or more human rights were violated.

• Think about a group in your country that wants to deny rights to others.
• Think about a right that is sometimes denied to women.
• Think about a right that all children should have.

You are probably able to answer the questions above, which highlights that you know more about human rights than you may have thought initially. If we really pause and reflect on the human rights described above, we are likely to appreciate that human rights are all around us and they affect our daily lives in several ways. We can also appreciate that there are many issues raised by human rights and that our assumptions about them may be different from other individuals and sometimes questioned by them. This can be a source of conflict between individuals or groups of people, therefore, it is important to have a clear understanding of human rights and how they are protected by international law.