Human rights violations refer to actions that infringe on the basic rights and freedoms that every person is entitled to, simply by virtue of being human. These violations can take many forms, including:

• Civil and political rights violations: These include genocide, torture, and arbitrary arrest, and often occur during times of war.

• Economic, social, and cultural rights violations: These include the right to work, the right to education, and the right to physical and mental health, and can be violated by states and other actors.

Human rights violations can be committed directly or indirectly by a state, and various actors can be involved, such as police, judges, prosecutors, and government officials. Violations can be intentionally performed by the state or come as a result of the state failing to prevent the violation.

Preventing and addressing human rights violations is the responsibility of various actors, including governments, civil society organizations, and international bodies such as the United Nations. While some gains have been made over the course of the last six decades, human rights violations still plague the world today.