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What are human rights?

Every person is entitled to certain essential rights, simply by the fact of being human.

They are “rights” because they are things you are allowed to be, to do or to have. These rights are there for your protection against people who might want to harm or hurt you. They are also there to help us get along with each other and live in peace.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created after World War II where lots of countries got together and agreed that every person deserves protection and respect through the United Nations. Since then, many international laws have been passed that set out these rights in more detail. The New Zealand government has signed up and agreed to these international laws so they are a part of New Zealand law. New Zealand has also passed laws of our own which give people rights.

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