HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES

The United States sees itself as a leader in the call for human rights around the world.  Yet, it has been exceptionally reluctant to recognize the legitimacy of universal human rights standards within the United States or as applied to conduct by the U.S government abroad.  This double standard, with its strange assumption that human rights violations only occur outside U.S. borders, has done a great deal of damage to the U.S. global standing.  More, importantly, it has threatened and harmed the dignity and well-being of millions of people in the United States and even greater numbers elsewhere.

For this reason, it is critical that people of conscience in the United States from all communities join together to build a U.S. human rights movement.  There has been growing work and interest in achieving this goal from a wide range of sectors.  Indeed, in 2003 activists from around the country founded the U.S. Human Rights Network which is now constituted of hundreds of organizational members and many individuals.  NESRI was founded the following year, in 2004, to support the economic and social rights wing of the U.S. human rights movement.   

Human rights in the United States is a growing and vital conversation.  We invite you to read the pieces listed below that offer basic information, analysis and reflection on this crucial debate. 

NESRI RESOURCES

Basic Info: Human Rights in the U.S. >>>

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the U.S. >>>

NESRI Commentary on Human Rights in the U.S. >>>

Presentations on Human Rights in the U.S. >>>

Foreword: Realizing Domestic Social Justice Through International Human Rights 30 N.Y.U. Rev. L. & Soc. Change 351 (2006) >>>

Challenges and Potential for a Human Rights Response to Hurricane Katrina >>>

In the Wake: What Katrina Has Shown Us About Human Rights in the U.S. >>>

Human Rights and Social Equity Approaches to Reproductive Health in the U.S. >>>

NESRI Presentation on the Latina Health Summit >>>

What are the Basic Principles of the Human Rights Framework?

The human rights framework protects civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. But no matter what kind of right is at issue, there are basic principals that are always part of human rights standards and implementation. These principals include:

Universality: Human rights must be afforded to everyone, without exception. The entire premise of the framework is that people are entitled to these right simply by virtue of being human.

Indivisibility: Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, which means that in order to guarantee civil and political rights, a government must also ensure economic, social and cultural rights (and visa versa). The indivisibility principal recognizes that if a government violates rights such as health, it necessarily affects people’s ability to exercise other rights such as the right to life.

Participation: People have a right to participate in how decisions are made regarding protection of their rights. This includes but is not limited to having input on government decisions about rights. To ensure human rights, governments must engage and support the participation of civil society on these issues.

Accountability: Governments must create mechanisms of accountability for the enforcement of rights. It is not enough that rights are recognized in domestic law or in policy rhetoric, there must actually be effective measures put in place so that the government can be held accountable if those rights standards are not met.

Transparency: Transparency means that governments must be open about all information and decision-making processes related to rights. People must be able to know and understand how major decisions affecting rights are made and how public institutions, such as hospitals and schools, which are needed to protect rights, are managed and run.

Non-Discrimination: Human rights must be guaranteed without discrimination of any kind. This includes not only purposeful discrimination, but also protection from policies and practices which may have a discriminatory effect.

photo by Harvey Finkle