The Human Person and Human Rights

Human dignity Human dignity rests on the fact that people are called to communion with God; We are free to turn away from God, but God never turns away from us.

Respecting human dignity means to respect human rights; 1998 marked 50 th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights;

Declaration of Human Rights This document outlines basic human rights that apply to all people; This document affirms the dignity of all persons, as well as the inalienability and equality of their rights.

Human Rights Because these rights are inherent in each person, no one can legitimately deprive these rights from the person since it would do violence to a person’s nature.

Human Rights Two broad categories: 1.Civil and Political; 2.Economic, social and cultural.

Why important? Defense of the universality and indivisibility of human rights is essential for the construction of a peaceful society and for overall development of individuals, peoples and nations.

Right to Life Right to life – the necessity to create a culture of life – that embraces all circumstances of life, insuring the promotion of dignity in every situation.

Right to Religious Freedom It represents the very heart of human rights because religion expresses the deepest aspirations of the human person; Religion also shapes a person’s vision of the world as well as it affects their relationships with other people.

Right to Participate All citizens have a right to participate in the life of their community; The participation in the decision making in the context of the international community can profoundly influence their life styles.

Right to Self-fulfillment Every human person has a potential waiting to be developed; Providing adequate education for all people contributes to the full actualization of one’s person and his/her ability to deal with the social environment they are born.

Right to a Healthy Environment This right highlights the dynamics of the relationship between individual and society; The danger of serious damage to land and sea, and to the climate, flora and fauna calls for change in the typical consumerist lifestyle.

Right to Peace Promoting this right ensures respect for all other rights; It encourages the building of society in which structures of power give way to structures of cooperation;

Right to Peace War destroys, weakens the moral foundation of the society, it creates divisions and long-lasting tensions; When the violation of any fundamental rights is accepted without reaction, all other rights are placed at risk.