By michael vivar
For the first six millennia of civilization, people's lives were short and brutal. Human rights weren't a consideration. First references to this lofty concept were from Cyrus II circa 539 BCE.
Incremental attempts at establishing human rights were made with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens in France (1789 CE) and the American Constitution (1791 CE).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by 56 members of the United Nations on Dec 10, 1948. Here are six lawyers who have advocated for basic freedoms.
Darrow first focused on labor equity, defending union leader, Eugene Debs against charges of fomenting the Pullman Strike. Darrow became a founding member of the ACLU.
The Greek refugee was forced to South Africa during World War II. He became anti-apartheid advocate. Bizos' defense of Nelson Mandela saved the latter from a death sentence.
After being unjustly arrested in 2008, Yu was imprisoned for two years, witnessing inmate mistreatment. She has since used her legal prowess to protect political dissidents in China.
Sotoudeh passed the Iranian bar in 1995. She's been fighting against the abuse of women and children but has been imprisoned multiple times throughout her journey.
Houston is often credited as "The Man Who Killed Jim Crow." He was involved in every major civil rights case during the early 1900s including Brown v Board of Education.
Clooney cites her rights advocacy to working for eventual SCOUS justice Sonia Sotomayor. She's represented victims of atrocities including the Armenian genocide.
"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." - Malala Yousafzai, education advocate and Nobel Peace Prize laureate