Human Rights in Wales

What are Human Rights?

Human Rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world.

Ideas about human rights have evolved over many centuries. But they achieved strong international support following the Holocaust and World War II. To protect future generations from a repeat of these horrors, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. For the first time, the Universal Declaration set out the fundamental rights and freedoms shared by all human beings.

How do Human Rights help you?

Human Rights are based on core principles like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and autonomy. They are relevant to your day-to-day life and protect your freedom to control your own life, effectively take part in decisions made by public authorities which impact upon your rights and get fair and equal services from public authorities.

Annual Human Rights Lecture

Each year the Commission in Wales holds a Human Rights Lecture which explores current human rights issues in Wales.

2016 - Migrants to Wales - What about Human Rights - Reverend Aled Edwards

This lecture highlighted the experiences of asylum seekers, migrants and refugees in Wales and across the world in relation to the protection and promotion of human rights.

2015 - Islamophobia: a human rights perspective - Dr Chris Allen

The lecture explored the scale and impact of Islamophobia in Wales and how this relates to the Human Rights Act. Watch a video of Dr. Chris Allen's lecture.

Human Rights Roundtable Report

A report based on the human rights roundtable discussion held in partnership by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Children's Commissioner for Wales and the Older People's Commissioner for Wales (July 15, 2014).

You can find out more about what Human Rights are by taking a tour of Dignity Drive or you can obtain your own interactive Dignity Drive tour by emailing your contact details to [email protected] - please put 'Dignity Drive DVD' as the subject line. Alternatively, please call 02920 447710.

More information about Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 can be found on our GB website.

Last Updated: 17 Mar 2016