ABSTRACT
The substantive distinction between human rights and individual rights, emphasising the sole normative meaning of a right being characterised as a human right, focuses on who owns the relevant right, who can dispose of it, and who is entitled to raise a claim in the case of a violation. Human rights operate to the benefit of individuals as such, regardless of their nationality. The distinction between individual rights and human rights is essentially one of substance, not one of implementation procedure. The goals of the United Nations (UN) listed in Article 1 of the UN Charter include the promotion and encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a resolution which was passed by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, by forty-eight votes to nil, with eight abstentions.
