Human rights

This topic speaks about human rights, what it is, how human rights are related to us and how to protect them

Human rights and Millenium Development Goals

The Millenium Development Goals set in 2000 by the huge majority of the UN member states, represent a unique chance to improve the realisation of human rights around the world. Each of these goals, which should be reached until 2015 (and with various success will / will not be reached) refer to a variety of internationally acknowledged human rights instruments. The individual goals are more thoroughly elaborated in the module on development and other modules (e.g. poverty or environment).

Here in the table from UNDP sources. Find how these goals correspond to specific instruments.

Goal no.	Related instrument
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger	Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
2. Achieve universal primary education	Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
3. Promote gender equality and women empowerment	Universal Declaration of Human Rights article; Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child
4. Reduce child mortality	Universal Declaration of Human Rights article; Convention on the Rights of the Child; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
5. Improve maternal health	Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases	Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child; Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
7. Ensure environmental sustainability	Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women; Convention on the Rights of the Child; Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
8. Develop a global partnership for development	UN Charter; Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child

Sources

UNDP

To find out more on how to achieve these goals see the module on development.

Questions to reflect on

How do you think development is related to human rights? For more information check module on development.