Human Rights and Public Policy

Human rights are standards that allow all people to live with dignity, freedom, equality,  justice, and peace. Every person has these rights simply because they are human beings. They are guaranteed to everyone without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Human rights are essential to the full development of individuals and communities. 

Human rights reflect the minimum standards necessary for people to live with dignity. Human rights give people the freedom to choose how they live, how they express themselves, and what kind of government they want to support, among many other things. Human rights also guarantee people the means necessary to satisfy their basic needs, such as food, housing, and education, so they can take full advantage of all opportunities. Finally, by guaranteeing life, liberty, equality, and security, human rights protect people against abuse by those who are more powerful.

The Advocates for Human Rights tracks legislation that impacts the basic human rights of Minnesotans and actively partners with civil society organizations to advocate for human rights issues, collaborate on advocacy efforts, and effect legislation to address human rights issues in Minnesota.  Click here for information about immigration-related legislation before the Minnesota Legislature, which we track on our Energy of a Nation website.