Rights and obligations of citizens

The rights and obligations are a set of rules that are created in order to achieve coexistence in society and relations between citizens and the institutions themselves. When talking about rights , reference is made to the benefits that the State should provide to citizens, on the contrary when talking about obligations, they are the responsibilities that citizens must fulfill towards the State and the laws.

Although each country has its own laws according to its customs, cultures and international conventions, there are a series of rights and obligations that are common to all citizens.

Rights and obligations of citizens

The rights are the benefits and freedoms that give the States to citizens . It is a power and obligation that arises from the State towards a person or from their relationships with respect to others. This set of norms and principles regulate human relations within society, always respecting justice and order, compliance with these norms is the responsibility of the State.

The obligations are the responsibilities or commitments made by individuals in the exercise of their rights, this implies that there is no right without obligation or liability without right. The obligation implies that an individual can freely comply with an imposition of the legal regulations, always knowing the scope and consequences of the same.

Citizen rights

As we indicated, rights are the guarantees or benefits that citizens have to be able to enjoy a series of freedoms that are provided by the State . Although these rights are embodied in the constitutions of each country, each of them has different norms, therefore they can vary.

Beyond each constitution, the rights of citizens arise from Human Rights, a series of guarantees that have a universal character and that have been created by the UN (United Nations Organization) in 1984.

The rights of citizens are:

-Right to life: Every individual has the right to life and the States are obliged to provide the necessary mechanisms for this right to be protected. Different countries establish mechanisms or measures of protection for life in their constitutions, this covers from the moment of conception until the death of people. However, in certain countries abortion may be legalized, according to special laws.

– Right to freedom of expression: Every citizen must have the right to express their ideas and opinions freely. This right will be free as long as it does not violate the rights of other individuals and they are not defamed. Everyone has the right to express themselves without fear of consequences, as long as the rights of other people remain intact.

Although this right is contemplated in many countries, very few manage to apply it in daily life and practice, mainly in those countries that face an authoritarian regime.

-Right to health: The right to health is an obligation of the States. This right implies that they can provide a free public health system so that their citizens can access without discrimination.

-Right to education: All citizens must have the right of access to the educational system. In order to comply with this, it is necessary that each State procure the necessary means to be able to achieve it. This right implies the incorporation of citizens to free and compulsory primary education, to an accessible secondary education and to a higher education to which all citizens can access.

-Right to vote: Every citizen must have access to universal, direct and secret suffrage, whether in local or national instances. Despite this right, in many countries around the world the vote is still limited for many women.

-Right to housing: Every individual must have the right to decent housing, which provides the basic conditions for their development. The States are in charge of guaranteeing this right through mechanisms or public or private measures that allow citizens to access a home.

-Right to work: The right to work must be promoted by the States, they want to promote measures that stimulate the activation of the economy through the creation of jobs. In addition, they must establish and seek protection measures for workers in order to guarantee their access to the economic system.

-Right to free movement: Everyone has the right to be able to circulate freely within the territory of which they are citizens. In addition, they may travel to other territories or countries, always complying with the legal regulations that they indicate.

-Right to free association: It is the right of every citizen to be able to associate freely with a third party, as long as this is done legally and respecting the rules established in each country.

-Right to private property: Every citizen has the right to acquire properties in his name as long as it is done within the legal frameworks of each country.

Obligations of citizens

The obligations are the responsibilities that must be met by citizens. In many cases, when they are not complied with, legal sanctions are established. The obligations vary according to each country, but some are common in many laws:

– Defend the constitution and the laws: it is the obligation of all citizens to respect and comply with the constitution of their country. They must also comply with the corresponding laws and contribute to a good social coexistence.

– Pay taxes: It is the obligation of every citizen to pay the taxes established by the laws of each State. This payment will be to finance public spending. Each country will establish its own taxes and requirements that must be met in order to be obliged to pay it.

– Promote peace and social coexistence: it is the obligation of every citizen to promote harmonious social coexistence, through compliance with laws and everything that contributes to citizen peace.

– Defend the territory in case of armed conflict : In certain countries, military service is compulsory, as is the participation of the individual in the event that military actions are needed.

-Providing civil service : the obligation to provide civil service implies the participation of individuals in different activities, whether civil or military, such as the case of natural disasters, situations of social upheaval, among others.

– Actively participate in the community : this obligation implies that citizens can participate actively in social progress and in the construction of peace. On several occasions, this obligation can be seen with participation in electoral or judicial processes, always complying with the established requirements.