A Brief Manual on Composing a High School Essay on Human Rights


Ah, human rights. The very term itself speaks of something most basic, most rudimentary, doesn’t it? And yet, it’s been a subject of debate since the very first civilizations on earth. We have countless examples of what it means to deprive someone – or entire peoples – of their so-called basic inalienable human rights, and it twists our stomachs just hearing about that. Some of us have even lived through those horrors. There are few, if any, things in this world which compel more passionate writing than this.
Today, we’ll be guiding you through the basics on how to approach an essay like this one. Do bear in mind, however, that this is a brief overview and not an exhaustive analysis. For more tips and tricks, for this style of paper as well as any other, you can look at this company as your one-stop source – not just now, but once you’re in college, too!

Save time; compose an outline


That’s right – contrary to popular belief, composing an outline can actually save you time. You’ll be spending time constructing one, for sure, but you’ll be saving brainpower later, and you’re far less likely to make costly (and time-consuming!) mistakes as you pen your paper. The biggest reason professors try to drill this step into student minds is that it helps us structure our thoughts, organizing them into neatly separate ideas which we will then detail in the essay itself.
Study the good, the bad, and the ugly

If your teacher is having you write something like this, he or she probably wants to expose you to the inherent heaviness of the issue. There are no heavier issues than this, and you could get lost for years studying the history of human rights. You should look to tragedies such as the holocaust, the Soviet takeover of Russia, and the United States’ Trail of Tears. You shouldn’t just look at that, though, and not just because it’s liable to depress the heck out of you. There are myriad examples of beautiful things, such as the great crowning cultural achievements of peaceful Ming China, the development of modern medicine and the impact of its availability in poorer countries, and more.


In all these examples, human rights are referenced. It should be considered a basic human right to be able to live, to draw breath; vile and hateful people have attempted to prevent that and the world has suffered for it. Contrasting this, there is the perceived human right to good health if possible, and pharmaceutical advancements have brought that about. Yet it isn’t really that simple, is it? What of the ongoing argument that the pharmaceutical industry should slash its profit margins by a considerable degree, because many citizens even in first-world nations cannot afford the services they need? Does this count as denying a basic right? Why or why not?
Think critically

And that’s exactly what you ought to be doing every step of the way in your essay: asking yourself these questions, arriving at your own conclusion, and then attempting to impart that knowledge for your readers. Pick three things which address the subject of human rights and write paragraphs about them asserting your beliefs in a scholastic manner. Stay reasonably professional, but speak from the heart – surely if ever there were something to be passionate about, it’s this.
Once you’ve chosen your subjects, develop your paper with the help of not only your outline, but of further research as well, be it online or at your school library. You will be well on the road to a powerful and compelling literary work, and you may find yourself possessed of a brand new cause to fight for, too!