Citizen:
A citizen is someone who is a member of a political community and a country, and who has a legal relationship with the government. A citizen is not simply someone who lives in a particular territory. A citizen is someone who has both rights and responsibilities. Just as the law expects citizens to fulfil certain duties, citizens can also expect the government to respect their rights. When we talk about citizenship rights, we are talking about this relationship.
Citizenship Rights:
Citizenship rights are the rights that individuals have as members of a society and citizens of a country, and the government has a duty to protect these rights. In simpler terms:
Citizenship rights describe the responsibilities that the government has towards the people and the rights that people have. These rights are based on the principle that all citizens should enjoy equal rights, regardless of their ethnicity, language, religion, place of residence, wealth or social status.
Article 19 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran states that all people of Iran, regardless of their ethnic group or tribe, enjoy equal rights, and that colour, race, language and similar characteristics must not create privileges. Article 20 also states that all members of the Iranian nation are protected by the law and enjoy human, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
But what exactly are these rights?
The Right to Legal Identity:
Every person has the right to a legal identity. A birth certificate is not just a booklet or a card. It is a gateway to many other rights. Without legal identity, access to many services becomes difficult. That is why registering people's identities and issuing identity documents are among the most important responsibilities of governments.
The Right to Education:
Article 30 of the Constitution requires the government to provide free education for everyone until the end of secondary school. No child should be deprived of education because of poverty, where they live or their family circumstances.
The Right to Health:
When people become ill, they should be able to access appropriate healthcare services. Providing healthcare centres, doctors, medicines and medical facilities is part of the government's responsibilities towards citizens.
The Right to Social Security:
Article 29 of the Constitution recognises social security as a universal right. People should not be left without support in cases of illness, unemployment, disability, old age or accidents.
The Right to Safety and Security:
People have the right to have their lives, property and dignity protected. Security does not simply mean the absence of crime. It means that people can live, work and build their futures without fear.
The Right to Equal Treatment Under the Law:
When two people are subject to the law, their ethnicity, language, religion or social status should not result in different treatment. The law must be applied equally to everyone.
The Right to Seek Justice:
Article 34 of the Constitution states that seeking justice is an undeniable right of every individual. This means that if someone's rights are violated, they must be able to turn to legal authorities and pursue their case.
But now we come to the most important question. What should people do if these rights are not respected? Should citizens simply remain silent? No.
This is where the concept of claiming and demanding one's rights comes in.