Civil rights
Civil rights are rights that all people in a country have. The civil rights of a country apply to all the citizens within its borders. These rights are given by the laws of the country.
Civil rights include freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly. Civil rights also include the right to own property and the right to get fair and equal treatment from the government, from other citizens, and from private groups.
In democratic countries, a person's civil rights are protected by law and custom. The constitutions of many democracies have a "Bill of Rights" that describes the people's liberties and rights. A well-known example is the United States Bill of Rights.
A court of law decides if a person's civil rights have been violated. The courts also decide the limits of civil rights, so that people do not use their freedoms to take away the rights of other people.
Contents |
[change] Other pages
[change] Agencies and treaties
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
[change] People
[change] Politics
- American Civil Rights Movement (1896-1954)
- American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968)
- List of anti-discrimination acts
- Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
