As the struggle for human rights emerges as one of the leading issues of our times, this comprehensive encyclopedia offers A-Z coverage of the subject. It includes 600 signed articles, many by leading experts in the field, and was compiled with special emphasis on the impact of the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The set provides a country by country analysis of each nation's approach to human rights. It also includes detailed examinations of such crucial topics as torture, slavery, asylum, genocide, hostages, indigenous peoples, freedom of the press, and the right to education. Illustrated with 175 maps and 200 photographs, it is an essential reference for anyone concerned with the future of humankind.