The Human Rights [antikvár]

Looking through this book, you will see that many of the things you take for granted in everyday life are based on what we call "human rights". These rights include the right to live freely, say what you think, and be treated fairly and with dignity by others. These rights are the rights of every human being, and they are guaranteed by a numb^er of texts, including the Council of Europe's Human Rights Convention. They have not always existed, however In fact, winning them has taken centuries, and we owe them to the many brave women and men who have fought to make them a reality, often at the cost of their own lives. Even today the struggle has to go on, for there are still men, women and children to whom they are denied. These pages will show you that the law is there to protect your life and freedom, to allow you to speak your mind without fear of the consequences. To make the society you live in as just and fair as it can be, it is important for you to know what your rights are, and also that your rights are protected. The main purpose of "human rights" is to protect the weak, the vulnerable, the people who cannot always protect themselves. You must never forget that the rights explained in this book are the rights of all men and women, and that living as part of the human community means that your rights must take into account other people's rights, that your freedom stops where other people's freedom begins. When you finish this book, you will remember that the Council of Europe's Human Rights Convention is not something fixed and final, but-something which evolves and develops as daily life goes on. Rights themselves have evolved in the course of human history. They are still evolving today and they are, in the form in which we know them, a precious but fragile heritage. It will be up to you to take care of it, breathe life into it and make it grow. , J-'C.U^^ Catherine Lalumiere Secretary General of the Council of Europe