Freedom of speechFreedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international human rights law. Many countries have constitutional laws that protect freedom of speech.
Human rightsHuman rights are moral principles or norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both national and international laws. These rights are considered inherent and inalienable, meaning they belong to every individual simply by virtue of being human. They encompass a broad range of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, such as the right to life, freedom of speech, protection against enslavement, and right to education.
United Nations Human Rights CouncilUN agency for promotion of human rightsThe United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. The headquarters of the Council are at the United Nations Office at Geneva in Switzerland.
FreedomFreedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" if it can change and is not constrained in its present state. Physicists and chemists use the word in this sense. In its origin, the English word "freedom" relates etymologically to the word "friend".Cultural expressionsCultural expressions are creative manifestations of the cultural identities of their authors. They are treated in the international legal system in terms of cultural rights, intellectual property law and international trade.
United Nations special rapporteurSpecial rapporteur (or independent expert) is the title that the United Nations (UN) gives to independent human rights experts called to report or advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective. Depending on the specific mandate, there can also be working groups composed of an independent expert from each of the five UN regional groupings: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Western group.
Farida ShaheedFarida Shaheed (Urdu: فریدہ شہید) is a Pakistani sociologist and feministhuman rights activist. In 2012, she was appointed the United Nations Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, while she held that role in the field of education from 2022. She heads the Shirkat Gah women's resource centre in Pakistan, and is known for her extensive work on gender and class analysis, both in Pakistan and more globally.
ArtistAn artist is a person who creates art or practices the arts. The most common usage in everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner of the visual arts, such as painting or drawing. The term is also widely used in the entertainment business to refer to actors, musicians, singers, dancers, and other performers. The French word artiste is sometimes used in English in this context, although this has become old-fashioned.
CensorshipSuppression of speech and informationStatus quoStatus quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the status quo refers to the current state of social structure or values. With regard to policy debate, it means how conditions are contrasted with a possible change.
DemocracyGovernment system where political power lies with the peopleNon-state actorA non-state actor (NSA) is an individual or organization that has significant political influence but is not allied to any particular country or state. The interests, structure, and influence of NSAs vary widely.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.