HUMAN RIGHTS CLASSIFICATION: CHARACTERISTICS AND EXAMPLES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The classification of human rights covers different aspects. There are several classifications; the most prominent are those in which human rights are divided according to their function and origin.

Classifying human rights serves to separate or disaggregate them, in order to study and consider them separately.

When classified according to their origin, human rights are divided into three groups: first generation (includes civil and political rights), second generation (made up of economic, social and cultural rights) and third generation or solidarity rights..

According to their function, human rights are divided into four types: civil rights, social rights, political rights and public rights.

Human rights are inherent to men and women. Therefore, they are universal: all people have the same rights.

Human rights classifications

1- According to its origin

Human rights are the result of years of struggle for the human being to be valued and taken into account in all areas. Consequently, their recognition did not happen overnight, but was gradual.

This type of classification is responsible for dividing human rights in chronological order; that is, according to the order in which they were created.

This classification was proposed in 1979 by Karel Vasák, who was the first general secretary of the International Institute of Human Rights, between 1969 and 1980.

First generation rights

They are the first to be recognized by the States. Its recognition occurred in the 18th century.

First-generation rights arose in search of promoting freedom and minimizing the intervention of the powerful in people's private lives.

They also sought to guarantee the participation of all citizens in the political aspect. These rights include civil and political rights.

The main first generation rights are as follows:

- The right to life.

- The right of freedom.

- Freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

- The right to freedom of expression.

- The right to privacy.

- Freedom of thought and religion.

- The right to marry.

- The right to political security.

- The freedom to have the number of children that each person wishes.

- The right to legal security.

It was also established that no person should be enslaved nor should they be subjected to torture or cruel treatment.

Second generation rights

Second generation rights refer to social, economic and cultural rights. They were incorporated and recognized during the 19th and 20th centuries.

These rights sought to guarantee a better quality of life for people, promoting the creation of social and economic policies that would allow everyone to live in adequate conditions.

Among the most prominent second-generation rights are the following:

- The right to social security.

- The right to participate in the development of society.

- The right to work in just and satisfactory conditions.

- The right to fair remuneration.

- The right to a home.

- The right to education.

- The right to physical and mental health.

- The right to education.

Third generation rights

Third generation rights are also called solidarity rights and have been incorporated and recognized at the end of the 20th century. However, rights of this type are still being incorporated in the 21st century.

These rights seek to promote solidarity among people in all parts of the world, thus promoting constructive and peaceful relationships between individuals.

Among the rights of the third generation are:

- The right to peace.

- The right to a clean environment.

- The right to use technological advances.

- The right to self-determination.

- The right to national and cultural identity.

- The right to political and economic independence.

2- According to its function

According to the function they perform, human rights are divided into civil, social, political and public.

Civil rights

They are those destined to the protection of the life of the human being. Among these are the rights that seek personal and economic security. For example: the right to life.

Social rights

Social rights are those that allow human beings to develop within society.

Some examples of this type of rights are: the right to education, freedom of worship, the right to work, the right to personal property, among others.

Political rights

They are those that are related to the development of citizens in the political sphere.

Political rights include the right to vote, the right to hold public office, among others.

Public rights

They are all those in which the freedoms to express opinions, ideas and thoughts on relevant issues of society are contemplated.

The right to freedom of expression and the right to create both cultural and political associations are examples of public rights.

Other classifications

Economic self-determination rights

Among the rights of self-determination are the right to freedom of choice of the economic profession, freedom to choose the economic activity that you want to carry out, among others.

Civil liberties

Civil liberties include the right to life, the right to freedom, the freedom to choose the place where you want to live, among others.

Political freedoms

Political freedoms are constituted by political rights and public rights that individuals possess.

These include the right to vote and freedom of expression.

References

1. Human Right. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from wikipedia.org
2. Classification of Human Right. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from tandis.odihr.pl
3. Definitive and classifications. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from humanrights.is
4. Human rights: Definitions, characteristics, classification, indivisibility & categorization. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from wahabohidlegalaid.blogspot.com
5. Fundamental Human Rights and Liberties: Concept and classification. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from uab.ro
6. The generations of Human`s Rights. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from law.muni.cz
7. Three Generations of Human Rights. Retrieved on November 3, 2017, from globalization101.org