Human Rights
Human rights are a set of fundamental rights and freedoms that every person has simply because they are human. These rights must be respected equally for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, gender, beliefs, nationality or place of residence. The main purpose of human rights is to protect human dignity, freedom, equality, justice and security. Governments have a responsibility to respect these rights and create the conditions for their implementation.
Human rights are rights that every person has simply because they are human, while citizenship rights are rights recognised and guaranteed to citizens under the laws of each country. Many citizenship rights are rooted in human rights principles.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most important international document concerning human rights. It states that all human beings are born free and equal, possess inherent dignity, and have fundamental rights and freedoms. The Declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 and consists of a preamble and 30 articles setting out the most important human rights and freedoms.
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international documents, these rights include the right to life, liberty, personal security, equality before the law, freedom from discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of belief, freedom of religion, the right to education without discrimination, the right to work, the right to participate in social and cultural life, the right to a fair trial, the right to form and join trade unions, the right to establish associations and organisations, and other fundamental human rights.
Iran also voted in favour of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights when it was adopted and has accepted two important international treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Therefore, under international law, Iran has obligations concerning the general principles of human rights. Many principles included in international human rights documents are also reflected in Iran's Constitution, including the right to education, equality before the law, the prohibition of torture, the right to a fair trial, the right to choose an occupation, and certain cultural and social rights.
Although Iran's Constitution also recognises many of these rights, the issue is their implementation. Writing a right on paper is one thing; ensuring that it is respected in practice, equally and without discrimination, is another.
The Level of Human Rights Awareness in Balochistan
In Balochistan, factors such as decades of discrimination, systematic underdevelopment imposed by authoritarian governments, unequal development, poverty, shortages of educational, cultural and economic facilities, and limited access to information and human rights education have reduced opportunities for many people to learn about these rights.
Under such conditions, some public services, such as building schools, roads and hospitals or providing employment loans, may be seen as favours or privileges. However, from the perspective of human rights and citizenship rights, providing many of these services is a responsibility of the government and a right of the people.
As public awareness of human rights increases, people become better able to understand their rights, demand that they be respected, and pursue legal and civic action when their rights are violated. For this reason, human rights education and awareness-raising are among the most important steps towards strengthening justice, equality and human dignity in every society.