During my time learning about international law, I came across something that I wish I was taught in High School; the UN Declaration of Human Rights. That's right, the United Nations put forward a Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has 30 articles, each of which outlines a human right that the UN set forward as part of international human rights laws dictated by the Humans Rights Council. Given that these are my given human rights by the United Nations, I find it interesting that we were never taught about this in public school. Most of the human rights listed have been violated by one country or another (yes the US has violated multiple Human Rights Laws even though we are one of the most powerful countries in the UN and we fund most of the UN). So here is a quick summary of the 30 human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

1. That everyone is born free and equal.

2. Everyone is entitled to everything outlined within the this Universal Declaration of Human Rights

3. Rights of life, liberty, and security (sound familiar?)

4. No one will be held as a slave

5. No one is to be tortured or punished in a cruel and inhumane fashion

6. Legal right to be treated as a person before the law EVERYWHERE

7. Everyone is equal before the law and have rights to equal protection without discrimination

8. Rights to an effective remedy for violation of rights granted by law or constitution

9. No unlawful arrest, detention, exile

10. Everyone has the right for a fair and public hearing

11. Everyone is to be assumed innocent until proven guilty

12. Everyone has rights to privacy (family, home, etc)

13. Everyone has the freedom to move to and from their country of origin (cannot be detained unlawfully)

14. EVERYONE is entitled to rights to asylum (this can't be taken away EVEN in the case of non-political crimes)

15. Rights to a nationality (and the right to change it)

16. EVERYONE has the right to marry at full age (no matter race, nationality, religion)

17. Everyone has the right to property (own by themselves or shared)

18. Freedom of religion and thought

19. Freedom of opinion and expression

20. Freedom of assembly and association (chosen freely)

21. Rights to participate in their government (directly or through chosen officials), access to public service

22. Rights to social security

23. Rights to work (freedom to chose where to work) without discrimination of any kind with proper reimbursement, the rights to create unions

24. Rights to time off (rest/leisure)

25. Rights to the standard of living (this includes mothers and children getting special care and assistance)

26. Everyone is entitled to free education and the parents have the right to chose their child's educations

27. Rights to freely participate in cultural life and the right to protection of this life

28. Everyone has the right for these rights to be FULLY recognized

29. Everyone must follow these rights and participate in their duties to their community

30. Everything set forward must be followed fully and to the letter by all nations

If I have piqued your interest, I highly encourage you to read all about it here: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-r...

It's important to stay alert and stay educated about the world we live in, both on a domestic level and an international level.