One’s right to life, which is a fundamental right, has been violated widely mainly as a result of war and violence. People suffer severely across the world. Militant fighters show no respect to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and spill the blood of civilians, including women and children, indiscriminately. Violation of human rights makes international headlines.
Violence and bloodshed continue unabated around the world. A large number of people suffer in the wake of conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Both warring sides (governments and anti-government parties) violate the rights of people during the conflicts. Annual reports about civilian casualties are highly shocking. Women and children bear the brunt of militancy in war-torn countries. They are killed in cold blood.
Following World War II – in which the masses were massacred in the worst possible way – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was approved to alleviate the pain and anguish of human family and put an end to deadly conflicts through pointing out the rights and dignity of human beings. The UDHR aptly says, “Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” Following the deadly conflicts in the history of human societies, all nations came to this conclusion that recognizing the inherent rights and dignity of human beings are the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the world. People’s life should be held in respect and no drop of blood is supposed to be shed. Similarly, the natural dignity of people should be respected by the public. To put it succinctly, all individuals and nations will have to treat one another with the spirit of brotherhood.
Meanwhile, exercising tolerance toward one another is the mainstay of a peaceful and prosperous life. In other words, the ongoing violence and bloodshed are deeply rooted in intolerance. People are killed on the grounds of their race, color, and creed. The radical militants spill the blood of people out of intolerance. Their dogmatic ideology leaves no room for tolerance or brotherhood. They are not able to accept people as they are and seek to either foist their own ideology upon them or shed their blood. Hence, there will be no peace unless all individuals exercise tolerance.
Superiority and ethnocentrism are the next reason behind the violation of human rights. A number of individuals claim racial superiority and hold others in contempt. That is to say, they do not believe in “inherent dignity” of all mankind and consider themselves superior. Thus, if one’s dignity is not respected, conflict will emerge.
Despite the fact that human rights and dignity are attached strong importance by international instruments, violation of human rights is widespread. One is discriminated on the basis of their gender, the next is treated harshly or killed simply in light of their race or belief. The historical hemorrhage was not an eye-opener for human societies. Therefore, the human rights of people are violated in one way or another. According to a recent report, the UN describes human rights situation shocking in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) raising concern over the torture of prisoners, injustice against foreign workers and discrimination of women in the Gulf state.
“UAE authorities regularly subject those that violate their restrictions to torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and unfair trial procedures,” the UK-based Emirate Centre for Human Rights wrote on its Twitter page.
The report argued that the justice system in the UAE is complex and impedes migrant workers and the stateless from bringing their grievances to justice. The report added that UAE authorities have employed torture to force defendants to confess to the charges against them and deprive them of healthcare.
In fact, human rights are not only violated in war-torn countries but also in peaceful and even in democratic states. People suffer in several ways. For example, one is not able to express their views openly, the next is not allowed to drive a car simply due to their gender. Similarly, one’s right to life, which is the most fundamental right, is also violated on a large scale. To view Afghanistan, killing has changed into daily activities of the militant fighters and people lose their lives in terrorist attacks and suicide bombings. Due to their radical ideology, the militants show no respect to the life of civilians – who have nothing to do with the war.

To safeguard human rights, the human family will have to recognizing the inherent rights and dignity of all individuals regardless of their race, color, and creed. Moreover, all individuals and nations should treat one another with the spirit of brotherhood and accept one another as they are. They must also put an end to racial superiority and ethnocentrism.