What are the universal human rights? - Benedetta Berti

翻译人员: zhiqiang liu 校对人员: Gabriella Hu

The idea of human rights is that each one of us,

无论你是谁，出身如何

no matter who we are or where we are born,

你都拥有人权理念中的

is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms.

基本权利和自由

Human rights are not privileges,

人权不是特权

and they cannot be granted or revoked.

它不能被授权或废除

They are inalienable and universal.

是不可剥夺并且普适的

That may sound straighforward enough,

这听起来很简单明了，

but it gets incredibly complicated

但当把理念放到实践上时

as soon as anyone tries to put the idea into practice.

是十分复杂

What exactly are the basic human rights?

什么是基本人权？

Who gets to pick them?

谁有权利来选择？

Who enforces them, and how?

谁来执行，然后又怎么执行？

The history behind the concept of human rights is a long one.

人权的历史是悠久的

Throughout the centuries and across societies, religions, and cultures

几个世纪以来在社会，宗教，文化等领域

we have struggled with defining notions of rightfulness, justice, and rights.

我们费尽心血寻找公正，正义和权利的真理

But one of the most modern affirmations of universal human rights

然而其中被现代公认的人权

emerged from the ruins of World War II with the creation of the United Nations.

是在在二战废墟后成立的联合国中形成的

The treaty that established the UN gives as one of its purposes

联合国条约的宗旨

to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.

重申基本人权的信念

And with the same spirit,

在同样的精神下

in 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

联合国大会于1948年采用了世界人权宣言。

This document, written by an international committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt,

这份文件是由埃莉诺·罗斯福主持的 国际委员会编写的

lays the basis for modern international human rights law.

它奠基了现代国际人权法

The declaration is based on the principle

这项公告基于

that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

所有人都是自由且拥有平等尊严及权利的原则

It lists 30 articles recognizing, among other things,

这里列出30篇条款，

the principle of nondiscrimination and the right to life and liberty.

证实非歧视原则和生命自由的权利

It refers to negative freedoms, like the freedom from torture or slavery,

它包括了消极自由，比如免于折磨和奴役的自由

as well as positive freedoms,

以及积极自由，

such as the freedom of movement and residence.

比如行为和居住的自由

It encompasses basic civil and political rights,

这包含基本的公民和政治权利

such as freedom of expression, religion, or peaceful assembly,

比如自由表达，宗教，或和平集会

as well as social, economic, and cultural rights,

以及社会， 经济， 和文化等权利

such as the right to education

比如受教育权

and the right to freely choose one's occupation

和选择职业的自由权

and be paid and treated fairly.

并且被公平的获得酬劳及对待

The declaration takes no sides as to which rights are more important,

这项宣言没有偏重哪项权利更重要

insisting on their universality,

而是坚持其全方面性

indivisibility,

不可分割性

and interdependence.

和相互依赖性。

And in the past decades, international human rights law has grown,

在过去数十年间， 国际人权法发展得更成熟了，

deepening and expanding our understanding of what human rights are,

延深并扩展了我们对人权的理解

and how to better protect them.

和如何更有效的维护它

So if these principles are so well-developed,

那么既然这些原则已经根深蒂固了

then why are human rights abused and ignored time and time again

那么为什么在整个世界范围内

人权被一次次地滥用和无视？

all over the world?

The problem in general is that it is not at all easy

总的来说，困难度在于

to universally enforce these rights or to punish transgressors.

全方面的保障这些权利或是惩罚违规者

The UDHR itself, despite being highly authoritative and respected,

即使世界人权宣言是权威并被高度重视的，

is a declaration, not a hard law.

它依旧是一项宣言，而非硬法

So when individual countries violate it,

所以当个别国家违反了

the mechanisms to address those violations are weak.

定位这些违反行为的机制依旧是虚弱的

For example, the main bodies within the UN in charge of protecting human rights

列如，联合国负责保护人权的主要部门

mostly monitor and investigate violations,

主要是监视和调查违反行为

but they cannot force states to, say, change a policy or compensate a victim.

但是不能迫使国家改变政策或补偿受害者

That's why some critics say it's naive to consider human rights a given

这也是为什么一些批判家认为人权是被赋予的这个想法是非常天真的

in a world where state interests wield so much power.

在一个注重挥舞权力的世界里

Critics also question the universality of human rights

批判家同时也怀疑人权的全方面性

and emphasize that their development

并强调了其发展

has been heavily guided by a small number of mostly Western nations

仅被少数国家（大多西方国家为首）的人权法

to the detriment of inclusiveness.

损害了其包容性

The result?

这样导致的结果？

A general bias in favor of civil policital liberties

大体上的偏向在公民政治自由

over sociopolitical rights

而非社会政治权利

and of individual over collective or groups rights.

和个人主义而非集体或群体利益

Others defend universal human rights laws

其他人为世界人权法辩护

and point at the positive role they have on setting international standards

并指出其在建立国际标准上的积极性

and helping activists in their campaigns.

和帮助积极分子的竞选

They also point out

他们也指出

that not all international human rights instruments are powerless.

不是所有国际人权部门都是无能的

For example, the European Convention on Human Rights establishes a court

列如欧洲人权公约基于人权上所建立的法院

where the 47 member countries and their citizens can bring cases.

47成员国和成员国公民都能进行申诉

The court issues binding decisions that each member state must comply with.

法院给出的判决将建立在成员国都一致赞同的情况下

Human rights law is constantly evolving

随着人权法不断的进展

as are our views and definitions of what the basic human rights should be.

在我们对基本人权的理解和看法上还会持续进行

For example, how basic or important is the right to democracy

列如， 民主的权利究竟有多基本和重要

or to development?

或是其发展的重要性

And as our lives are increasingly digital,

我们的生活更加信息化

should there be a right to access the Internet?

我们是否应有网络权？

A right to digital privacy?

信息化隐私权？

What do you think?

你怎么看？