Civil Rights Law

Civil rights refers to two related but different terms. In civil law jurisdictions, a civil right is a right or power which can be exercised under civil law, which includes things such as the ability to contract. In civil law jurisdictions, lawsuits between private parties for things such as breach of contract or a tort are usually expressed in terms of infringement of a civil right.

A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed segregation in schools, public places, and employment. First conceived to help African Americans, the bill was amended prior to passage to protect women, and explicitly included white people for the first time.

The FBI is the lead agency for investigating violations of federal civil rights laws…and we take that responsibility seriously. Why? Because as Director Mueller has said, “When just one of us loses just one of our rights, then the freedoms of all of us are diminished.”

The mission of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is to investigate complaints alleging that citizens are being deprived of their right to vote by reason of their race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or by reason of fraudulent practices; to study and collect information relating to discrimination or a denial of equal protection of the laws under the Constitution because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice.

The Civil Rights Center (CRC) administers and enforces various Federal statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders that relate to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity. These three types of equal opportunity laws: 1. forbid discrimination on various bases in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance, either from DOL itself or, under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), from another Federal department; and 2. forbid discrimination on the basis of disability: 1. by specified types of public entities (such as State and local governments) and 2. in programs and activities conducted by DOL; and 3. forbid employment discrimination within DOL itself.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

The Civil Rights Division is committed to upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all individuals, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes designed to protect the civil rights of all individuals and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. Established in 1957, the Division has grown in size and scope over the decades, and has been instrumental in many of our nation’s battles to advance civil rights, from the desegregation of our nation’s schools to the prosecution of hate crimes, from ensuring girls and women have equal opportunities in schools and the workplace to guaranteeing that individuals with disabilities can access civil services to which we all have a right.

This website contains the complete text of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, as signed and proclaimed by the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission at the European Council meeting in Nice on 7 December 2000.

In essence, the incorporation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the Convention) into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) creates a general right to respect for privacy where none previously existed. Article 8 offers general protection for a person’s private and family life, home and correspondence from arbitrary interference by the State.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society..

Freedom Force International is a network of men and women from all parts of the world who are concerned over loss of personal liberty and expansion of government power. They are not mere complainers. They have a plan to do something about it. They also share a common belief in The Creed of Freedom, which is a statement of principles that guide them in their mission to build a better world.

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) assists countries pursuing accountability for past mass atrocity or human rights abuse. The Center works in societies emerging from repressive rule or armed conflict, as well as in established democracies where historical injustices or systemic abuse remain unresolved.

Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966. Entry into force 23 March 1976, in accordance with Article 49.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. We have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights. The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations. The High Commissioner heads OHCHR and spearheads the United Nations' human rights efforts. We offer leadership, work objectively, educate and take action to empower individuals and assist States in upholding human rights. We are a part of the United Nations Secretariat with our headquarters in Geneva.

The Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights is a bipartisan organization established in 1982 to monitor the civil rights policies and practices of the federal government. Its work is grounded in the belief that the civil rights agenda benefits the entire country, not just particular interest groups. For the nation to remain strong, we must continue to struggle together to fight bias and invidious discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity in education, employment, and housing, to promote political and economic empowerment and to guarantee equal treatment in the administration of justice. Achieving these goals depends upon vigorous civil rights enforcement as a duty and obligation of the federal government.

European Digital Rights was founded in June 2002. Currently 27 privacy and civil rights organisations have EDRi membership. They are based or have offices in 17 different countries in Europe. Members of European Digital Rights have joined forces to defend civil rights in the information society. The need for cooperation among organizations active in Europe is increasing as more regulation regarding the internet, copyright and privacy is originating from European institutions, or from International institutions with strong impact in Europe.

The Human Rights and Social Justice Research Institute (HRSJ) was created in 2003 to facilitate multidisciplinary research, policy analysis, training, teaching and consultancy. The Institute supports a focused network of academics, students and practitioners, seeking to substantiate links between human rights and social justice. It brings together both academics and practitioners from a range of disciplines including law, health policy, social policy, sociology, politics and philosophy.

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

The National Youth Rights Association (NYRA) defends the civil and human rights of young people in the United States through educating people about youth rights, empowering young people to work on their own behalf in defense of their rights, and taking positive steps to lessen the burden of ageism. We believe certain basic rights are intrinsic parts of American citizenship and transcend age or status limits.

The mission of the American Civil Rights Union is to protect the civil rights of all Americans, by publicly advancing a Constitutional understanding of civil rights; monitoring judicial nominees, judges, and legal organizations, while resisting those that threaten civil rights; and filing amicus briefs in critical civil rights court cases. Believing that the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, is the greatest legal document ever written, the ACRU stands against harmful anti-Constitutional ideologies that have taken hold in our nation's courts, law schools, and bureaucracies. While others promote entitlements and license in the name of "liberties," the ACRU defends the civil rights set forth at the American Founding.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society – an America as good as its ideals.

Articles written by attorneys and experts worldwide discussing legal aspects related to Civil Rights including: constitutional law, consumer law, discrimination, human rights, native populations, privacy law, public law and sexual harassment.