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Human Rights and Public Health

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Encyclopedia of Public Health

Synonyms

Basic rights; Natural rights

Definition

The human rights are the elementary, natural and inalienable rights attributed to all on account of their existence as human beings. Human rights represent the institutionalized legal, philosophical, political and moral considerations about the inherent dignity and equal rights all human beings are entitled to and which the state has to respect and protect. The human rights aim to provide individuals with the basic personal, political and property rights as well as the basic freedoms. They ensure the individual's protection from state actions (“defense rights”) and provide them with claims vis-à-vis the state to ensure their participation in the society's political, cultural and social life.

Basic Characteristics

History of Human Rights

The institutionalization of human rights derives from the idea that all human beings are naturally provided with basic rights that are inalienable and must be respected by the state and its...

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References

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© 2008 Springer-Verlag

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Koyuncu, A. (2008). Human Rights and Public Health . In: Kirch, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Public Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_1596

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_1596

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5613-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5614-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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