The words “human rights” are familiar to everyone and appear daily in speeches by world leaders, on social media or in classrooms. Yet, when words are used so often, their meaning can become blurred. So what do human rights really mean and how does the United Nations (UN) help to protect them?

What are human rights?

Human rights are the basic freedoms and protections that belong to everyone equally, ensuring dignity, safety and fairness simply because they are human. They are universal, inalienable and equal for all people.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948 after World War Two, declares all rights apply to everyone, no matter where you are from or what you believe. Together with The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it forms the International Bill of Human Rights.

How did the UN become central to human rights?

Since its founding in 1945, the United Nations has made human rights one of its three pillars. The other two are peace and security; and sustainable development. The UN sets standards, creates treaties and builds institutions to hold governments accountable and to prevent future conflicts.

The UDHR was groundbreaking: for the first time in history, the world agreed on a shared standard of what rights people everywhere should expect. While not legally binding, it inspired treaties, such as the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which is binding and enforceable in courts.

The UN is often associated only with its most visible “principal organs” – the General Assembly, the Security Council and the International Court of Justice. However, it consists of many other agencies and bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Fund), World Food Programme (WFP) and the Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), all of which contribute to human rights in different ways.

Which UN bodies protect human rights?

The Human Rights Council (HRC), is the UN’s main intergovernmental body for addressing violations. Meeting in Geneva, it reviews reports of abuses and reacts to crises. For example, in September 2025, the HRC stated that Israel has commited genocide in Gaza – the first time it used that term about Israel, making it an “authoritative finding”.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is the operational body that supports the HRC.

Failures of UN human rights protection

Despite successes, the UN has often failed to protect civilians. The Rwandan Genocide (1994) saw more than 800,000 people murdered in 100 days. Warnings were ignored, and the UN’s small peacekeeping force lacked resources and authority to act. Commander General Roméo Dallaire’s requests for reinforcements were denied, leaving the UN heavily criticised.

In Haiti (2010), peacekeepers introduced a strain of cholera through leaking sewage, causing an outbreak that killed thousands. The disaster would not have occurred without UN negligence.

More recently, in Syria’s civil war, millions have suffered chemical attacks and bombings, but Security Council divisions – particularly vetoes by Russia and China – have blocked stronger action.

These failures reveal the UN’s limits. Political divides, lack of resources and restricted mandates often stop it from acting effectively.

Why the UN still matters

Even with failures, the UN’s work remains essential. It sets global standards, coordinates humanitarian aid, supports peacekeeping and promotes rights through its agencies. Its influence has helped end apartheid in South Africa, advance women’s and Indigenous rights and strengthened child protection worldwide.

Accusations of inefficiency and selective enforcement are valid, but without the UN, there would be no global framework for human rights, nor shared declarations and fewer tools for holding governments accountable.

The UN is not perfect – but it continues to shape a world where dignity, safety and equality are seen as rights for all, not privileges for a few.