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Fundamental rights are generally regarded set of legal protections in the context of a legal system,

where such system is itself based upon this same set of basic, fundamental, or inalienable rights.
Such rights thus belong without presumption or cost of privilege to all human beings under such
jurisdiction. The concept of human rights has been promoted as a legal concept in a large part owing
to the idea that human beings have such "fundamental" rights, such that transcend all jurisdiction,
but are typically reinforced in different ways and with different emphasis within different legal
systems. These are the social claims or privileges that are provided by the state to its citizens. They
are inviolable and remain attached against their breaching. These rights are applicable to all,
irrespective of their backgrounds. List of important rights

Some universally recognized rights seen as fundamental, i.e., contained in the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
or the U.N. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, include the following:

Right to self-determination[1]

Right to liberty[2]

Right to due process of law[2]

Right to freedom of movement[3]

Right to freedom of thought[4]

Right to freedom of religion[4]

Right to freedom of expression[5]

Right to peaceful assembly[6]

Right to freedom of association[7]

There are seven main fundamental rights of India:

right to equality

right to freedom which includes freedom of speech and expression, right to assemble peacefully,
freedom to form associations or unions, right to move freely throughout the territory of India , right
to reside or settle in any part of the territory of India, right to practice any profession or to carry on
any occupation.

right to freedom of religion

right against exploitation

cultural and educational rights

right to constitutional remedies

The right to interstate travel

The right to parent one's children [9]


Protection on the high seas from pirates

The right to privacy[10]

The right to marriage [11]

The right of Self-Defense

this House believes in fundamental human rights

Everyone talks about 'rights', 'human rights' and 'fundamental rights', but do they even exist? Can
we ever really know what they are? Are they objective facts, or are they just products of our time
and culture? What about competing ideas and definitions of human rights? Various attempts have
been made to codify universal or fundamental human rights, but there exists no universally-followed
list of rights. Our current conception of human rights has in one sense its origins in the conceptions
of the 'Rights of Man' which emerged during the Enlightenment, but owes most of its current form
and content to ideas which emerged in the wake of the Second World War, as embodied in the
United Nations' 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights,[1] which listed a large number of
political, economic and social rights supposedly universally held by all people everywhere. This
conception of human rights has been criticised, however, and the very idea of universal or
fundamental human rights is by no means universally accepted by all nations and societies.

Point

Fundamental human rights exist and are founded on universal human needs. Certain needs are
necessary to human life in every instance and circumstance. These include food, water, shelter and
security of person. Human life is not possible without any one of these things, and so these needs
may be termed 'fundamental rights' necessary to the continued existence of that person. Every
person has a right to the fulfilment of these needs as the alternative is non-existence, which is
contrary to our basic human nature to survive. Because all humans everywhere possess at birth a
drive to survive and all share these requirements, they are clearly fundamental to our nature and we
have a right to their fulfilment and protection.

Counterpoint

Not all 'human rights' are necessary for existence. The so-called 'right to free speech' and 'right to
liberty' can both be removed from a person forcibly without ending their existence, and so cannot
be justified on the basis of a 'universal drive to survive

Certain desires, such as the desire for happiness, are universal to all human beings. Even if they
actively deny them to others, every individual works towards the fulfilment of these desires for
himself, and recognise that the denial of this fulfilment is harmful to himself. For example historically
slave-owners still desired freedom of movement and labour for themselves, even if they denied it to
their slaves on the basis of selfish interests. Therefore, because all humans desire happiness for
themselves, and also desire the means to this end such as freedom of speech and the freedom to
make their own choices, there exists a universal basis of desire for human rights in every individual.
The enshrinement of 'fundamental human rights' simply universalizes what every individual
acknowledges for himself: that the denial of certain rights is always harmful. This already even has a
basis in the 'Golden Rule', to not do what is harmful to yourself to others, which can be found in
some form in almost every ethical tradition.[1]

Counterpoint

There is no clear reason why a 'desire' must be a 'right', even if it were universal. Merely wishing for
something does not establish the existence of rights, but merely creates a 'wish list' which may not
actually be possible in reality. For example humans may universally desire a life of leisure without
hard work, but it would be impossible to meet this desire for everyone, as then there would be no
work done and therefore no resources to support leisure.

All humans benefit from the protection of the human rights of others. For example, a society which
guarantees the security of person for all its inhabitants means every individual can feel assured of
their safety and thus live a happier and more productive life, whereas in a society where this was not
guaranteed to all, everyone would have to live in fear of their person being violated in the present if
they cannot guarantee their own security, or in the future if they should lose the ability to protect
themselves which they may enjoy in the present. This fear would lower the quality of life for all, and
make society worse. Therefore, it could be argued that, even if fundamental human rights do not
exist, it is still beneficial for us to believe in them and protect them, as we are all better off as a
consequence. This applies internationally as well; the conception of universal human rights which
everyone possesses has meant that many modern instances of humanitarian disasters, such as the
1984-1985 famine in Somalia, have been met with a vigorous response by nations, groups and
individuals concerned with human rights, helping to alleviate the human suffering there.[1] This can
be compared to historical examples in times when there was less concern with universal human
rights and where therefore much less action was taken to alleviate famines and human suffering,
such as occurred in the Irish Potato Famine between 1845 and 1852.[

Counterpoint

The recognition and enforcement of fundamental human rights would and does not benefit
everyone equally. For example a strong man in a society where he can use the threat of his strength
to cause others to serve him against their will stands to lose his comfortable life, in which he is
happier, if the weaker men's right to security of person is guaranteed. This loss is a far greater harm
to him than the small potential that he might be replaced by an even stronger man who appears.
Therefore not everyone benefits from the recognition of fundamental human rights, and so they
cannot be termed either fundamental or universal, as they advance the interests of some at the
expense of others. Similarly the international examples show how those in famine-prone areas
benefit at the expense of those in more prosperous areas. Moreover, the excuse of 'protecting
human rights' can be used as easily to advance neo-colonial or imperial ambitions on the part of one
nation against another as it can be used to justify intervening in famines, so the net gain is far from
clear-cut.[1]
HUMAN RIGHTS

Anti-Corruption and Transparency

Corruption tramples the aspirations of citizens, weakens judicial independence and the rights of civil
society organizations, and hurts local and international businesses. And, in many countries,
corruption and poor human rights practices are intertwined.

Child Soldiers

The United States government condemns the conscription, forced recruitment, or use of children in
the military. The Child Soldier Prevention Act of 2008 determines that the U.S. government may not
provide assistance to--and no licenses for direct commercial sales of military equipment may be
issued to--the governments of countries that use child soldiers.

Civil Society

Civil society can be a catalyst for social, political, and economic progress, and a freely functioning
civil society is a necessary hallmark of any modern democracy. For the United States, strengthening
and protecting civil society is not just a matter of good global citizenship; it is a more effective and
efficient path to advancing foreign policy objectives. As a matter of policy, we oppose restrictions on
civil society and engage when governments try to stifle civic activism. The United States regularly
engages with civil society organizations and individuals on areas of collaboration or concern, and
provides financial and technical support to build civil society capacity around the world.

Disability Rights

Discrimination against people with disabilities is not simply unjust; it hinders economic
development, limits democracy, and erodes societies. The United States works with foreign
governments and civil society organizations to protect the rights of disabled persons, and ensure
their inclusion and full participation. The United States, as part of our foreign policy, works to
remove barriers and create a world in which disabled people enjoy dignity and full inclusion.
Freedom of Expression

Freedom of opinion and expression are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
the United States defends these rights vigorously wherever they are threatened. Where speech is
insulting or offensive, we do not support restrictions but rather condemnation of and argumentation
against the speech in question.In various parts of the world, governments have misused laws that
criminalize offensive expression to persecute political opponents and religious minorities, often
exacerbating the very problems they seek to address. The United States, therefore, advocates for
other measures to address hateful expression, such as education; interfaith efforts; urging political,
religious, and societal leaders to speak out and condemn offensive expression; creating a mechanism
to identify areas of tension between communities; training government officials on outreach
strategies; and encouraging leaders to discuss causes of discrimination and potential solutions with
their communities.

Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) is any act of violence directed at individuals or groups of individuals
based on their gender. GBV includes any act of violence that results in, or is likely to result in,
physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to a person, including threats of such acts,
coercion, or arbitrary deprivations of liberty. Gender-based violence undermines not only human
rights, but also threatens public health, economic stability, and security. In 2012 the United States
released the Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally, advancing U.S.
efforts to raise the status of women and girls around the world.

Freedom of Association and Assembly

The United States supports the rights of all individuals and civil society organizations to assemble
peacefully, to express their views on civil and political issues without fear of arrest or detention, and
to exchange ideas both online, and off. We therefore urge other governments to uphold their
international commitments to these freedoms, work with civil society to combat laws that seek to
repress these rights, support activists who have been arrested for exercising these rights, and
provide assistance to rights-respecting security forces on non-violent crowd-control tactics.

Freedom of Expression

Freedom of opinion and expression are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and
the United States defends these rights vigorously wherever they are threatened. Where speech is
insulting or offensive, we do not support restrictions but rather condemnation of and argumentation
against the speech in question.In various parts of the world, governments have misused laws that
criminalize offensive expression to persecute political opponents and religious minorities, often
exacerbating the very problems they seek to address. The United States, therefore, advocates for
other measures to address hateful expression, such as education; interfaith efforts; urging political,
religious, and societal leaders to speak out and condemn offensive expression; creating a mechanism
to identify areas of tension between communities; training government officials on outreach
strategies; and encouraging leaders to discuss causes of discrimination and potential solutions with
their communities.Gender-Based Violence.Gender-based violence (GBV) is any act of violence
directed at individuals or groups of individuals based on their gender. GBV includes any act of
violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to
a person, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivations of liberty. Gender-based
violence undermines not only human rights, but also threatens public health, economic stability, and
security. In 2012 the United States released the Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based
Violence Globally, advancing U.S. efforts to raise the status of women and girls around the world.

Human Rights

U.S. international human rights policy is guided by the principles enshrined in the UN Universal
Declaration of Human Rights: that all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights and the
fact that nations that embrace these values for their citizens are ultimately more successful than
those that do not. The United States works to promote human rights worldwide, including an
individuals freedom to speak their mind, assemble without fear, worship as they please, and choose
their own leaders. Those rights also include dignity, tolerance, and equality among all people, and
the fair and equitable administration of justice. These human rights are integral to functioning rule
of law, civilian security, economic development, and accountable security forces. Most nations are
parties to international agreements that recognize these universal human rights.

International Religious Freedom

Promoting religious freedom is a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. The U.S. government monitors
religious persecution and discrimination worldwide, recommends and implements policies in
respective regions or countries, and develops programs to promote religious freedom. The United
States seeks to promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental
human right and as a source of stability for all countries; assist emerging democracies in
implementing freedom of religion and conscience; assist religious and human rights NGOs in
promoting religious freedom; and, identify and denounce regimes that are severe persecutors on
the basis of religious belief.

Internet Freedom

Preserving an open Internet, governed by neutrality, is vital to the free flow of information, as well
as promoting innovation and economic productivity. Our goal is to ensure that the global Internet is
an open platform on which to innovate, learn, organize, and express oneself free from undue
interference or censorship.

Labor

Internationally recognized labor standards establish that workers everywhere, regardless of income
or status, are entitled to certain universal rights such as freedom of association, collective
bargaining, and non-discrimination in the workplace, to name a few. Workers rights are a core U.S.
value and the foundation of durable democracies, sustained prosperity, and inclusive economic
growth. The United States is working to help amplify the voice of labor organizations, women,
informal sector workers, and vulnerable populations around the world, to raise awareness about the
rights of labor workers and infringements on such rights.

LGBT News

The U.S. government recognizes gay rights and human rights as one and the same, because no
matter ones sexual orientation, we are all equally entitled to human rights and dignity. Thus,
discrimination based on sexual orientation is a violation of human rights. As such, the U.S.
government works to advance the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
individuals worldwide through foreign policy. The United States is dedicated to eliminating barriers
to equality, and fighting discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Media Freedom

Media freedom requires an independent press that is unrestrained in its ability to dispense truthful
and meaningful news to a people, without fear of government retaliation or censorship. Based upon
the right to free speech, freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance and of
long-term stability and prosperity, because it contributes to transparent, accountable governance,
including anti-corruption efforts. The U.S. government continues to fund programs to provide media
organizations and journalists with tools and resources to produce high-quality stories without fear of
retribution.

Prisoners / Arbitrary Detention

Arbitrary detention is the keeping of a person without pursuing any legal charges before a judge or
following procedures such that the victim appears to be in the position of being held indefinitely
without charge. The U.S. government strongly condemns arbitrary detention as undemocratic and
supports immediate release of all arbitrarily detained prisoners, as we seek to promote
transparency, due process, and rule of law around the world.

Refugees / Internal Displaced Persons


Refugees fleeing persecution and conflict, internally displaced persons and stateless persons are the
principal recipients of United States humanitarian assistance. The United States provides aid to
refugees through repatriation, local integration, and resettlement in the United States.

Rule of Law

Rule of law maintains that all individuals, institutions and the state itself are held accountable to the
law. Where rule of law exists, people thrive and economies flourish. The United States therefore
supports initiatives to bolster countries capacities to develop rights-respecting police and security
forces and to build legal systems that deliver fair, impartial, accountable justice.

Security and Human Rights

Rights-respecting civilian and military security forces that protect human rights, and are held
accountable for human rights violations, are essential to functioning democracies, successful conflict
prevention, and peacebuilding. A principal goal of our security sector assistance is to promote the
transparent and accountable oversight of security forces, rule of law, and respect for human rights.
Implementing the Leahy law, the U.S. government vets its assistance to foreign security forces to
ensure that recipients have not committed gross human rights abuses and engages with
governments to promote accountability and measures to prevent future abuses.

Trafficking-in-Persons

Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a form of modern-day slavery in which
traffickers typically lure individuals with false promises of employment and a better life. The United
States government works to prevent trafficking both within its borders and beyond, and produces
the annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP), the worlds most comprehensive resource of
governmental anti-human trafficking efforts.

Transitional Justice

Around the world, there is an increasing call for justice, truth, and reconciliation in countries where
legacies of gross human rights violations cast a shadow on transitions from repressive regimes to
participatory and democratic forms of governance. Transitional justice processes help to create
mechanisms that ensure accountability, serve justice, uncover and record the truth, provide
remedies and reparations to victims and those who mourn them, reform institutions, and promote
healing and reconciliation. Transitional justice goals for the United States include conflict prevention
and resolution; the promotion of sustainable, responsible, and effective security and governance in
fragile states; and fostering security and reconstruction in the aftermath of conflict.

Women

An overwhelming amount of research has shown that countries where men and women are closer to
enjoying equal rights are far more economically competitive and stable than those that do not
guarantee equal rights. The United States seeks to promote stability, peace, and development by
committing to empower women politically, socially, and economically around the world. To solidify
this commitment, the United States launched several initiatives through the National Action Plan on
Women, Peace, and Security, aimed at ensuring women participate equally in preventing conflict
and building peace in countries threatened and affected by war, violence, and insecurity, as well as
securing universal human rights for women around the world.

Youth
The United States is committed to ensuring that we are engaging not only with the leaders of today,
but also with the leaders of tomorrow. Todays generation of young people is the largest and most
interconnected the world has ever seen, defined by energy, talent, and optimism. U.S. youth
programs empower the next generation through exchange programs, leadership development,
educational transformation and democratic ideals, and is part of our commitment to engaging with
civil society.

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