Rights are considered universal primarily on the ground that they are derived from natural law. Political theorists in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries argued that rights are given to us by nature or God. This means we are born with these rights; they are not conferred by any ruler or society. As such, these rights are inalienable and no one can take them away from us.

Another important ground is that rights are necessary for our well-being. They help individuals to develop their talents and skills. Rights enable people to lead a good and decent life. The notion of universal human rights has been used by oppressed people worldwide to challenge laws that segregate them and deny equal opportunities.

Three rights that can be considered universal are: the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to education. The right to life and liberty are natural rights derived from natural law, while education is necessary for developing our capacity to reason.

The right to life is fundamental as without it, no other right has meaning. The right to liberty safeguards individual freedom against arbitrary state power. The right to education helps develop useful skills, enables informed choices in life, and develops our capacity to reason.

These rights are universal because they apply to all human beings regardless of nationality, caste, gender, or religion, and are necessary conditions for human existence and dignity.