When did human rights law develop?

Human rights law, or the body of legal statutes protecting the rights of individuals, began to develop as a concept after the end of World War II. In 1945, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which declared that all people are “born free and equal in dignity and rights” and outlined a wide range of basic rights that all people should be guaranteed. This was an unprecedented and influential document that laid the foundation for developing human rights law in many countries around the world, including in the United States. In Michigan, human rights law began to take shape in the late 1950s and early 1960s with the passage of the Michigan Constitution of 1963. This Constitution included a section on civil rights that explicitly prohibited discrimination based on things such as race, color, religion, national origin, and sex. This was followed by the 1968 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which further prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or marital status. These two documents created a powerful framework for protecting the rights of individuals throughout Michigan, and they continue to be the basis for modern human rights law in the state. Today, Michigan has additional laws that protect the rights of individuals, including laws protecting people from sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Additionally, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is tasked with enforcing state civil rights laws. In this way, human rights law in Michigan has continued to evolve and develop since its beginnings in the 1960s.

Related FAQs

What is the right to a nationality?
What is the right to freedom of assembly and association?
What are the rights of persons with disabilities?
What are the implications of the International Criminal Court for human rights?
What is the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights?
What is the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights?
What is the right to health?
What is the International Labour Organization?
What is human rights law?
What is the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment?

When did human rights law develop?

Related FAQs

Related Blog Posts