The face of human rights

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John Vink / Magnum Mine victims testing prosthesis at an ICRC facility, Cuito, 1997 John Vink / Magnum

Thomas Kern Internally displaced - refugees form neighbouring Chechnya, Buinaksk, Dagestan, 1999 Thomas Kern

Moises Saman / Magnum Demanding the resignation of interim prime minister, Tunis, 2011 Moises Saman / Magnum

Thomas Kern Anti-War demonstration, San Francisco, 2003 Thomas Kern

Thomas Kern Mexican migrant worker, Escondido, California, 2005 Thomas Kern

Stuart Franklin / Magnum The Jockey Club, Nairobi, 1988 Stuart Franklin / Magnum

Gilles Peress / Magnum Seeking refuge from genocide near the Rwandan-Tanzanian border, 1994 Gilles Peress / Magnum

Gilles Peress / Magnum Torture and murder instruments at a police station in Kosovo, 1999 Gilles Peress / Magnum

Chris Anderson / Magnum Overlooking Bethlehem, 2007 Chris Anderson / Magnum

Thomas Kern "Freedom?" on a hotel television, Minsk, 1992 Thomas Kern

Ian Berry / Magnum Victims of environmental disaster, Khulna, Bangladesh, 2000 Ian Berry / Magnum

Thomas Kern Inmate grooming standards, Chowchilla, California, 2005 Thomas Kern

Jerôme Sessini / Magnum Children playing in the Colonia Azteca, Ciudad Juarez, 2011 Jerome Sessini / Magnum

Abbas / Magnum Pro Abortion demonstration, San Diego, California, 1996 Abbas / Magnum

Thomas Kern An elderly woman showing her bombed out living room, Slavonski Brod, 1992 Thomas Kern

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Tio mark Human Rights Day (December 10) this year, the United Nations chose to focus on inclusion and the right to participate in public life. The UN says this right is fundamental to a functioning democratic society.

Each person should be able to choose those who represent them in all governance institutions, to stand for public office, and to vote on the fundamental questions that shape their individual and collective destinies.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, people have in recent years tackled their governments, not just in the Middle East and North Africa, but elsewhere as well, on issues covering fundamental civil, political, social, cultural and economic rights.

But the rights of many men, women and children continue to be trampled underfoot – tortured to death, raped, bombed, shelled, shot, forced from their homes, deprived of food, water, electricity and healthcare by their own governments or by armed groups, apparently intent on nothing more than keeping their grip on power.