Why the Holocaust is Central to Human Rights

The Holocaust is a prime example of a catastrophe that completely lacked human rights. The countries involved in the Holocaust clearly had little to no regards for basic and inherent freedoms, or perhaps made the executive decision to completely ignore their existence. Each and every event that took place during the Holocaust involved a clear, and overt violation of fundamental human needs, ultimately urging countries to reflect upon their negligence.

The human rights that were violated during the holocaust are endless. The rights pertaining to freedom and life are more obvious, but other, perhaps more subtle freedoms were cruelly stripped from individuals as well. For example, the children that were victims of the Holocaust were unable to receive a proper education. The right to schooling is something that I believe is extremely important for a child’s development. However, during this time, they were unable to benefit from the traditional education that they should have received. The right to food, water, and clothing were violated as well. Victims of the Holocaust became extremely gaunt, and even died from malnutrition.

Although there were prior tragedies, the Holocaust was one of the first instances that ushered immediate attention from the rest of the world. In my opinion, human rights are essentially violated when any individual or group is ostracized. Therefore, the idea that fueled the Holocaust, even without any execution, was enough to completely disregard the idea of basic human freedoms. Presumably, it is no coincidence that the Declaration of Human Rights was created in 1948, shortly after the atrocities. Before the Holocaust, it may have been difficult to accept the necessity of this declaration. But after, it became clear that a written law was essential. The Holocaust conveyed just how corrupt the world was, how insignificant human rights were to many groups and leaders, and shifted the world’s focus towards improvement and change.