The most significant achievement of 20th century is probably the importance ascribed to the
idea of human rights. And perhaps the most significant endeavour of the world community in the
second half of this century is its attempt to codify these ethical demands in declarations
covenants and similar instruments expected to have universal validity. Yet besides the
unscrupulous violence torture and social injustice which continue to prevail in our world we
also see gaining more and more ground tendencies to promote demands and practices which
constitute unnoticed obstacles to the protection of human rights. Is it not the so-called herd
immunity as a way to fight against a pandemic a violation of the right to life? What are our
shortcomings?The present volume is an attempt to bring into focus one of these shortcomings:
the lack of clear knowledge of what human rights are.
