Human rights have become synonymous with legal, political, social and even economic justice - as a means of overcoming oppression and discrimination irrespective of nationality, class, creed, gender, ethnicity, or even ideological commitment. As global governments are increasingly using a threat of terrorism to tighten national security, this critical investigation reveals inequities within the various interpretations of human rights and their applications worldwide. It covers a wide range of topics - from unfair detention and torture to racism, rape and child soldiers - and is divided into seven key parts:

• State, identity and citizenship
• Judicial violations and legal restrictions
• Freedom of expression and censorship
• Conflict and migration
• Discrimination
• Women's rights
• Rights of the child.