40+ Best Human Rights Quotes From Inspirational People

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a universal document, which mentions fundamental human rights in 50 different languages.

Social justice, equal rights, and social activism are all things that we must teach our kids. So what are you waiting for, check out these human rights quotes for kids and legal rights quotes for you now!

These human rights quotations assert the powerful statement that all human beings are equal, and should be treated equally no matter their gender, age, race, sexuality or ethnicity. A basic human right is something that every living human is entitled to. Five basic human rights are: the right to equality and freedom from discrimination; the right to life, liberty, and personal security; freedom from torture and degrading treatment; the right to equality before the law and the right to a fair trial. Alongside these humans also have the right to to privacy, freedom of belief and religion, and freedom of opinion.

These human rights can be distributed into three categories: civil-political, socio-economic, and collective-developmental. In order to protect these rights, human rights organizations, activists, lawyers, and even celebrities have held protests, walking the streets holding banners and posters, to make sure people and the world hear when someone's basic human rights are being violated.  

If you feel passionate about upholding and protecting human rights, then check out these human rights quotes that are both powerful and inspiring. Human rights quotes are any quotes either promote support for human rights or call out breaches of human rights. So, check out the list of human rights quotes and social justice quotes for activists below, including Eleanor Roosevelt quotes, Martin Luther King Jr quotes and Nelson Mandela quotes, to get inspired.

If you like these human rights quotes, you can also check out these democracy quotes and protest quotes articles.

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Here we have listed some famous quotes about equality and human rights. These human rights quotes include quotes by notable people who helped change the world and our outlook on human rights. So, if you are looking for famous equality quotes, read on and get inspired. Which human rights quote do you think is the most powerful on this list?

1. “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”

– John F. Kennedy.

2. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

3. “The connection between women's human rights, gender equality, socioeconomic development, and peace is increasingly apparent.”

- Mahnaz Afkhami.

4. “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

- Nelson Mandela.

5. “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”

– James Baldwin.

6. “Dogs do not have many advantages over people, but one of them is extremely important: euthanasia is not forbidden by law in their case; animals have the right to a merciful death.”

― Milan Kundera.

7. “Activism works. So what I’m telling you to do now, is to act. Because no one is too small to make a difference.”

- Greta Thunberg.

8. "The evolution of the human rights movement clearly illustrates humanity's ongoing struggle toward creating a better world."

- Robert Alan Silverstein.

9. “While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.”  

– Nelson Mandela.

10. "Human rights education is much more than a lesson in schools or a theme for a day; it is a process to equip people with the tools they need to live lives of security and dignity."

-Kofi Annan

11. "It means a great deal to those who are oppressed to know that they are not alone. Never let anyone tell you that what you are doing is insignificant."

- Desmond Tutu.

12. "The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be either good or evil."

- Hannah Arendt.

13. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

- Martin Luther King.

14. “Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must — at that moment — become the center of the universe.”

― Elie Wiesel.

15. “Letters aren’t just a simple gesture of solidarity, they become a source of hope and they have the potential to change people’s lives. I am living proof.”

- Nestor Fantini

16. “So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy.”

-Roger Nash Baldwin.

17. “All children should be taught to unconditionally accept, approve, admire, appreciate, forgive, trust, and ultimately, love their own person.”

― Asa Don Brown.

18.  “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

-Malala Yousafzai.

19. We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought.”

― Kathryn Stockett.

20. “My government makes me angry. The police force makes me angry. Homophobia makes me angry. Luckily, anger is what motivates me.”  

- Zhanar Sekerbayeva.

21. “Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain those rights or keep them. Our strength is our unity of purpose. To that high concept, there can be no end save victory.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Inspirational equal rights quotes can inspire you to help protect the basic rights for every human being. These quotes on human rights by Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Joshua Wong and more will surely inspire you. So, check out these inspirational quotes about humanity, including famous human rights quotes and individual rights quotes.

22. “Joy is found when you focus your energy on improving human dignity, human capacity and human values.”

― Amit Ray.

23. "Because no matter who we are or where we come from, we're all entitled to the basic human rights of clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and healthy land to call home."

-  Martin Luther King Jr.

24. “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

– Elie Wiesel.

25. "We long to have a home where civil freedoms are respected, where our children will not be subject to mass surveillance, abuse of human rights, political censorship and mass incarceration."

-  Joshua Wong.

26. "There can be no peace without development, no development without peace, and no lasting peace or sustainable development without respect for human rights and the rule of law."

- Former UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson.

27. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

28. "Life is not a matter of place, things or comfort; rather, it concerns the basic human rights of the family, country, justice, and human dignity."

- Imelda Marcos.

29. "Some values must be universal, like human rights and the equal worth of every human being."

- Bjorn Ulvaeus.

30. "Human rights is the soul of our foreign policy because human rights are the very soul of our sense of nationhood."

-Jimmy Carter.

31. "I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity, and human rights. The indispensable elements in a democratic society - and well worth fighting for."

- Helen Suzman.

32. “You’re not under attack when others gain rights and privileges you’ve always had.”

― DaShanne Stokes.

33. "Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave."

- Frederick Douglass.

34. “My dreams for the future are simple: work, a happy, healthy family, a lovely long motorcycle ride, and continuing the struggle to awaken people to the need for serious human rights reform.”

– Mike Farrell.

35. "Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream."

-Martin Luther King Jr.

36. "Some values must be universal, like human rights and the equal worth of every human being."

- Bjorn Ulvaeus.

37. "I have long been an advocate for peace and human rights in Canada and around the globe."

- Jagmeet Singh.

38. “The day we become silent about the things that matter is the moment our lives begin to end.”

- Shenita Etwaroo.

39. "In the future, human rights will be increasingly a universal criterion for designing ethical systems."

- Mahnaz Afkhami.

40. "Tolerance, diversity, and inclusion are not political opinions. They are non-negotiable human rights - hard-fought and secured in America."

- Andy Dunn.

41. “No voting on who gets to be people.”

― N. K. Jemisin.

42. "A right is not what someone gives you; it's what no one can take from you."

- Ramsey Clark

43. "Peace means rules respected by everyone - big or small, rich or poor - means cooperation. It means respect for human rights and dignity."

- Miroslav Lajcak.

44. “Human rights must work to uplift human dignity.”

– Rodrigo Duterte.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the best human rights quotes from inspirational people, then why not take a look at these activism quotes, or female empowerment quotes for more?

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