Collective rights

The term collective rights refers to the rights of peoples to be protected from attacks on their group identity and group interests. The most important such collective right is often said to be the right of self-determination.

In 1948 United Nations General Assembly 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights', which is a declaration endorsed by modern nation-states. With the exception of the 'right to self-determination', all rights specified were based on the individual such as non-discrimination, freedom of movement, privacy, marriage only with free consent of spouses, just and favourable conditions at work, participation in cultural life, equal protection of the law etc.

The vote stood at 48-0 with 8 absentations.

This is a controversial topic, particularly when collective rights come into conflict with individual rights. As with all theories of rights, there is some debate on whether collective rights truly exist, and, if so, what those rights actually are (besides self-determination).

Collective rights are associated with third-generation rights.