Human Rights Definitions & Terms

'Human Rights' are best defined as:

• Rights to live in peace and harmony without governmental interference.

• Fundamental rights that are considered to belong to every person regardless of race, gender, age nationality or religion. They are universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.

• Rights that are set down in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

• Rights that belong to everyone and can't be taken away by the government for any reason.

Human Rights are 'universal'. This means that:

• They belong to everyone.

• Governments cannot decide which human rights we have – they come as a package deal and each human rights interconnects with other human rights

• They cannot be taken away from us.

Human Rights are 'inalienable'. This means that:

• They belong to everyone.

• They cannot be taken away from us.

• Governments cannot decide which human rights we have – they come as a package deal and each human rights interconnects with other human rights

Human Rights are 'indivisible and interdependent'. This means that:

• They belong to everyone.

• They cannot be taken away from us.

• Governments cannot decide which human rights we have – they come as a package deal and each human rights interconnects with other human rights

'Treaty' is best defined as:

• A formal agreement entered into by more than two nation-states.

• A formal agreement entered into by two nation-states.

• A formalised agreement between two or more nations about a particular area of mutual interest (such as trade, prisoner exchanges or human rights); often used synonymously with convention, covenant, charter, protocol and/or statute.

A 'bilateral treaty' is:

• A formal agreement entered into by two nation-states.

• A formal agreement entered into by more than two nation-states.

'Ratification' is:

• The process of full adoption of the obligations imposed by a treaty or covenant into Australian law by the passing of legislation through the federal parliament that mirrors and enacts the treaty obligations.

• The process of formally adopting a treaty through the signature of the Executive and thereby agreeing to be bound by it.

'Sovereignty' is best defined as:

• A government can make its own laws but should follow any resolutions made by the United Nations.

• The concept that a government exercises full control over affairs within a geographical or territorial limit.

A federal 'royal commission' is:

• A government inquiry established by the House of Representatives pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth).

• A government inquiry established by the Governor-General pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth).

A 'bill of rights' is best defined as:

• A formal declaration of the legal and civil political rights of the citizens of any state, country or federation.

• The human rights of citizens as contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.