We owe our children – the most vulnerable citizens in any society – a life free from violence and fear.
Nelson MandelaRead
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Denial of human rights undermines the essence of what it means to be human.
This quote by Nelson Mandela emphasizes that human rights are fundamental to the dignity and identity of individuals. When these rights are denied, it not only affects the specific individuals involved but also challenges the inherent humanity that connects us all, suggesting that respect for human rights is essential for a just and humane society.
Themes
Human RightsHumanityDignityJusticeEquality
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a speech about human rights advocacy.
More from Nelson Mandela
All quotes →What freedom am I being offered while the organization of the people remains banned? Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.
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The past is a rich resource on which we can draw in order to make decisions for the future, but it does not dictate our choices. We should look back at the past and select what is good, and leave behind what is bad.
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We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.
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After one has been in prison, it is the small things that one appreciates: being able to take a walk whenever one wants, going into a shop and buying a newspaper, speaking or choosing to remain silent. The simple act of being able to control one's person.
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I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses.
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No practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us.
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