Human Rights, DOD-GRI
These are the rights that youâre entitled to simply for being human. The term âhuman rightsâ is relatively new, but the concept of human rights had its origins in ancient Greece and Rome. Although the principle of human rights has gained widespread acceptance over the centuries, there has been disagreement over the nature and scope of such rights and their definition. Still, the reality of popular demands for human rights in the early 21st century is undeniable, and a deepening and widening concern for the promotion and protection of human rights on all fronts is now woven into the fabric of contemporary world affairs.
Human Rights Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Dodson, Mick
Mick Dodson is an Australian Aboriginal political activist and scholar who was named the 2009 Australian of the......
Dodson, Patrick
Patrick Dodson is an Australian activist and politician who became one of Australiaâs most influential Indigenous......
Douglas, William O.
William O. Douglas was a public official, legal educator, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, best......
Douglass, Frederick
Frederick Douglass was an African American abolitionist, orator, newspaper publisher, and author who is famous......
Du Bois, W.E.B.
W.E.B. Du Bois was an American sociologist, historian, author, editor, and activist who was the most important......
Dunant, Henri
Henri Dunant was a Swiss humanitarian, founder of the Red Cross (now Red Cross and Red Crescent) and the World......
Dunham, Lena
Lena Dunham is an American actress, writer, director, and producer known for advancing a feminist perspective colored......
Duniway, Abigail Jane Scott
Abigail Jane Scott Duniway was an American pioneer, suffragist, and writer, remembered chiefly for her ultimately......
Dworkin, Andrea
Andrea Dworkin was an American feminist and author, an outspoken critic of sexual politics, particularly of the......
Dybwad, Gunnar
Gunnar Dybwad was a German-born American author, administrator, and activist who championed the civil rights of......
Dybwad, Rosemary F.
Rosemary F. Dybwad was an American author and advocate for the developmentally disabled. She was the daughter of......
Eagle Woman
Eagle Woman was a Native American peace activist who was a strong advocate of the Teton (or Western Sioux) people.......
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network
East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN), American grassroots organization founded in 1991 that committed......
East, Catherine
Catherine East was an American feminist and public official, a major formative influence on the womenâs movement......
Eastman, Crystal
Crystal Eastman was an American lawyer, suffragist, and writer, a leader in early 20th-century feminist and civil......
Ebadi, Shirin
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, writer, and teacher, who received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2003 for her......
ecofeminism
ecofeminism, branch of feminism that examines the connections between women and nature. Its name was coined by......
Edelman, Marian Wright
Marian Wright Edelman is an American lawyer and civil rights activist who founded the Childrenâs Defense Fund in......
Edson, Katherine Philips
Katherine Philips Edson was an American reformer and public official, a strong influence on behalf of woman suffrage......
Eisenhower, Dwight D.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States (1953â61), who had been supreme commander of the......
El Saadawi, Nawal
Nawal El Saadawi was an Egyptian public health physician, psychiatrist, author, and advocate of womenâs rights.......
Elders, the
the Elders, a group of world leaders that formed at the beginning of the 21st century in order to address global......
EllacurĂa, Ignacio
Ignacio EllacurĂa was a Spanish-born El Salvadoran Jesuit priest, academic, philosopher, theologian, and human......
Engel v. Vitale
Engel v. Vitale, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 1962, that voluntary prayer in public......
Enns, Henry
Henry Enns was a Ukrainian-born Canadian activist who was a prominent leader in the disability rights and independent-living......
equal opportunity
equal opportunity, in political theory, the idea that people ought to be able to compete on equal terms, or on......
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), landmark U.S. legislation mandating equal pay for equal work, in a measure to end......
Equal protection
Equal protection, in United States law, the constitutional guarantee that no person or group will be denied the......
equality
equality, Generally, an ideal of uniformity in treatment or status by those in a position to affect either. Acknowledgment......
Equiano, Olaudah
Olaudah Equiano was an abolitionist and writer whose autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah......
EspĂn Guillois, Vilma
Vilma EspĂn Guillois was a Cuban revolutionary and womenâs rights activist. As the wife of RaĂșl Castro, the younger......
Establishment clause
Establishment clause, clause in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbidding Congress from establishing......
Europe, Council of
Council of Europe, organization of European countries that seeks to protect democracy and human rights and to promote......
European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), convention adopted by the Council of Europe in 1950 to guard fundamental......
European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), judicial organ established in 1959 that is charged with supervising the......
Evers, Medgar
Medgar Evers was an American Black civil rights activist, whose murder received national attention and made him......
Evers-Williams, Myrlie
Myrlie Evers-Williams is an African American activist and the wife of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, whose racially......
Executive Order 8802
Executive Order 8802, executive order enacted on June 25, 1941, by U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt that helped......
Eygi, AyĆenur
AyĆenur Eygi was a Turkish-American citizen and longtime activist for multiple causes. While participating in a......
Fair Housing Act
Fair Housing Act, U.S. federal legislation that protects individuals and families from discrimination in the sale,......
Faludi, Susan
Susan Faludi is an American feminist and award-winning journalist and author, known especially for her exploration......
Farmer, James
James Farmer was an American civil rights activist who, as a leader of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE),......
Fateh Singh, Sant
Sant Fateh Singh was a Sikh religious leader who became the foremost campaigner for Sikh rights in postindependence......
Fawcett, Dame Millicent Garrett
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett was a leader for 50 years of the movement for woman suffrage in England. From the......
Federation of South African Women
Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW), multiracial womenâs organization that was one of the most important......
Felton, Rebecca Ann
Rebecca Ann Felton was an American political activist, writer, and lecturer, and the first woman seated in the......
feminism
feminism, the belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. Although largely originating in......
Feminism: From Ancient Rome to the Womenâs March
Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster chose feminism as its 2017 Word of the Year, in response to both the massive......
Ferguson, William
William Ferguson was an Australian activist who fought for the rights of Australian Aboriginal peoples. He was......
First Amendment
First Amendment, amendment (1791) to the Constitution of the United States that is part of the Bill of Rights and......
First, Ruth
Ruth First was a South African activist, scholar, and journalist known for her relentless opposition to South Africaâs......
Foltz, Clara Shortridge
Clara Shortridge Foltz was a lawyer and reformer who, after helping open the California bar to women, became a......
Fonda, Jane
Jane Fonda is an actress and political activist who first gained fame in comedic roles but later established herself......
Force Acts
Force Acts, in U.S. history, series of four acts passed by Republican Reconstruction supporters in the Congress......
Forché, Carolyn
Carolyn Forché is an American poet whose concern for human rights is reflected in her writing, especially in the......
Fortas, Abe
Abe Fortas was a lawyer and associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (1965â69). Nominated to......
Four Freedoms
Four Freedoms, formulation of worldwide social and political objectives by U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt in......
Fox, Terry
Terry Fox was a Canadian activist who became a national hero and an inspirational figure for his battle against......
Frank, Barney
Barney Frank was an American Democratic politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1981â2013)......
Frankfurter, Felix
Felix Frankfurter was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court (1939â62), a noted scholar and teacher......
Frederick William II
Frederick William II was the king of Prussia from August 17, 1786, under whom, despite his lack of exceptional......
freedom of information
freedom of information (FOI), a presumptive right of access to official information, qualified by exemptions and......
Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), federal act signed into law by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 4, 1966,......
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is a right, as stated in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, to express......
Freedom Rides
The Freedom Rides were a series of political protests against segregation during the American civil rights movement.......
Friday, Nancy
Nancy Friday was an American feminist and author who was especially known for works that explored womenâs sexuality.......
Friedan, Betty
Betty Friedan was an American feminist best known for her book The Feminine Mystique (1963), which explores the......
Gage, Matilda Joslyn
Matilda Joslyn Gage was an American womenâs rights advocate who helped to lead and publicize the woman suffrage......
Gandhi, Kasturba
Kasturba Gandhi was an Indian political activist who was a leader in the struggle for civil rights and for independence......
Gandhi, Mahatma
Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the Indian......
Gardener, Helen Hamilton
Helen Hamilton Gardener was an American writer, reformer, and public official, who was an eloquent and charismatic......
gay rights movement
gay rights movement, civil rights movement that advocates equal rights for LGBTQ persons (i.e., for lesbians, gays......
Gbowee, Leymah
Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist known for rallying women to pressure leaders into ending Liberiaâs civil......
Geldof, Bob
Bob Geldof is an Irish rock musician and philanthropic activist who formed the Boomtown Rats in the 1970s. He founded......
gender equality
gender equality, condition of parity regardless of an individualâs gender. Gender equality addresses the tendency......
Geneva Gas Protocol
Geneva Gas Protocol, in international law, treaty signed in 1925 by most of the worldâs countries banning the use......
Gentry, Charter to the
Charter to the Gentry, (1785) edict issued by the Russian empress Catherine II the Great that recognized the corps......
Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address, world-famous speech delivered by U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln at the dedication (November 19,......
Ghannouchi, Rached
Rached Ghannouchi is a Tunisian political activist and cofounder of the political party Ennahda (Arabic: al-Nahážah......
Ghent, Pacification of
Pacification of Ghent, (Nov. 8, 1576), declaration by which the northern and southern provinces of the Low Countries......
Ghonim, Wael
Wael Ghonim is an Egyptian democracy activist and computer engineer who was one of the organizers of a social media......
Gibbons, Abigail Hopper
Abigail Hopper Gibbons was an American social reformer, remembered especially for her activism in the cause of......
Gibbs, Pearl
Pearl Gibbs was an Australian activist who fought for the rights of Australian Aboriginal people for some 50 years.......
Gideon v. Wainwright
Gideon v. Wainwright, case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on March 18, 1963, ruled (9â0) that states are required......
Gitlin, Todd
Todd Gitlin was an American political activist, author, and public intellectual best known as a media analyst and......
Giuffre, Virginia
Virginia Giuffre was an advocate for victims of sex trafficking and one of the principal accusers of Jeffrey Epstein.......
GLAAD
GLAAD, organization created in 1985 that is devoted to countering discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual,......
Global Compact
Global Compact, United Nations (UN) initiative launched in 2000 to bring business, labour, and civil society together......
Global Exchange
Global Exchange, U.S.-based international human rights organization founded in 1988 by political activists Kevin......
Goldberg, Arthur J.
Arthur J. Goldberg was a labor lawyer who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1962â65) and......
Golden Bull of 1222
Golden Bull of 1222, charter granted by King Andrew II of Hungary, which stated the basic rights and privileges......
Goldsmid, Sir Isaac Lyon, 1st Baronet
Sir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid, 1st Baronet was a financier and Britainâs first Jewish baronet, whose work for Jewish......
Gonne, Maud
Maud Gonne was an Irish patriot, actress, and feminist. She was one of the founders of Sinn FĂ©in (âWe Ourselvesâ),......
Gonzales, Rodolfo
Rodolfo Gonzales was a Mexican American boxer, writer, and civil rights activist who was a leading figure in the......
Gordon, Laura de Force
Laura de Force Gordon was an American lawyer, editor, and reformer, one of the first women in the American West......
Gore, Al
Al Gore is an American politician and environmental activist who served as the 45th vice president of the United......
Greensboro sit-in
Greensboro sit-in, act of nonviolent protest against a segregated lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina,......
Greer, Germaine
Germaine Greer is an Australian-born English writer and feminist who championed the sexual freedom of women. Greer......
Gregory, Dick
Dick Gregory was an American comedian, civil rights activist, and spokesman for health issues, who became nationally......
Grimké, Charlotte Forten
Charlotte Forten Grimké was an American abolitionist and educator best known for the five volumes of diaries she......