In all civilized nations, attempts are made to define and buttress human rights. The core of the concept is the same everywhere: Human rights are the rights that one has simply because one is human. They are universal and equal.

Introduction

Centuries of Progress

Human Rights as an International Issue

Contributions by the United States

International Monitoring and Implementation Mechanisms

Nongovernmental Organizations and States: Contrasting Roles

Recent Developments in Human Rights

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/iipdigital-en/index.html)