--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The aim of human rights, if I may borrow…" description: "\"The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and drawing-board phase, to move beyond thinking and tal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg" --- # The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from… ![“The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and drawing-board phase, to move beyond thinking and talking about the foundations stones - to laying those foundation stones, inch by inch, together.” quote by Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg) > “The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and drawing-board phase, to move beyond thinking and talking about the foundations stones - to laying those foundation stones, inch by inch, together.” [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human rights should progress from theory to concrete actions, building foundations together step by step. **In simple terms:** Turn ideas into real, shared progress. Key Takeaway Act on human rights now. Themes human rights action collaboration Mood hopeful determined Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - community organizing - legal reforms - null Key Concepts social justice engineering metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can individuals take? - How can societies sustain momentum? A Different Perspective Implementation can be hindered by political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Boards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boards/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Foundations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundations/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inches/) [Laying Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laying-foundation-3470647/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Phases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phases/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Borrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-borrow-1978016/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Foundations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-foundations-3470646/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [Infringe upon the rights of no one. Borrow no tool but what you will return according to promise. Take no wood, nor anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/infringe-upon-the-rights-of-no-one-borrow-no-tool-but-what-you-will/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [And while everybody was busy laughing, what was I doing? I was laying the foundation to what I have in place now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/and-while-everybody-was-busy-laughing-what-was-i-doing-i-was-laying/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [“Never try to build a house without first laying a foundation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-copeland/never-try-to-build-a-house-without-first-laying-a-foundation/) [Gloria Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-copeland/) > [Christ is the foundation of all our hopes for time and for eternity. Oh, build on this divine foundation! All other foundations are sinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stuart-macarthur/christ-is-the-foundation-of-all-our-hopes-for-time-and-for-eternity/) [Robert Stuart MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stuart-macarthur/) > [The major challenge facing most foundations is that they are risk averse. This inhibits their ability to experiment and commit to the experimentation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitt/the-major-challenge-facing-most-foundations-is-that-they-are-risk/) [Steven Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitt/) > [Human fallibility recognised, God's sovereignty trusted; these are also the only stable foundations for human beings in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/human-fallibility-recognised-god-s-sovereignty-trusted-these-are-also/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [It's hard to write new stuff when the songs you have written before are still changing and evolving. It would be like building something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mars/it-s-hard-to-write-new-stuff-when-the-songs-you-have-written-before/) [Thomas Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mars/) > [“The two foundations; one inward, the other outward; grace, miracles; both supernatural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-two-foundations-one-inward-the-other-outward-grace-miracles-both/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Perhaps the most striking assault on the foundations of traditional liberties is a little-known case brought to the Supreme Court by the Obama administration,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/perhaps-the-most-striking-assault-on-the-foundations-of-traditional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The post-Cold War order in Europe is finished, with Vladimir Putin its executioner. Russia's invasion of Georgia only marked its passing. Russia has emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/the-post-cold-war-order-in-europe-is-finished-with-vladimir-putin-its/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [“A pretty building I'm making, without either bricks or timber. I'm up i' the garret a'ready, and haven't so much as dug the foundation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/a-pretty-building-i-m-making-without-either-bricks-or-timber-i-m-up-i/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/do-not-worry-if-you-have-built-your-castles-in-the-air-they-are-where/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We need to have a GOP that rebuilds itself on the foundations of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/we-need-to-have-a-gop-that-rebuilds-itself-on-the-foundations-of/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [“The foundations of your childhood, they stay with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/the-foundations-of-your-childhood-they-stay-with-you/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The foundations of our lives are far more fragile than we think. So we are severely shaken when life turns out to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/the-foundations-of-our-lives-are-far-more-fragile-than-we-think-so-we/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) ## More by Mary Robinson > [The governments are seen to be less effective than they used to be. The private sector is perceived as being so much more efficient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-governments-are-seen-to-be-less-effective-than-they-used-to-be/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [If the Chinese business community takes the Declaration of Human Rights, core labor standards, and environmental standards seriously, the government of China will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/if-the-chinese-business-community-takes-the-declaration-of-human/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Every government has signed up to a voluntary legal commitment under at least one of the international covenants and conventions based on the Universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/every-government-has-signed-up-to-a-voluntary-legal-commitment-under/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Since 9/11 the United States has been followed by countries with bad records, such as the former Soviet Union countries, into erosions of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/since-9-11-the-united-states-has-been-followed-by-countries-with-bad/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [I'm not interested in scoring points or being over-critical of the US administration. I want to find the entry points to try and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-m-not-interested-in-scoring-points-or-being-over-critical-of-the-us/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Tackling the issue of climate change presents us with an inflection point in human history - a climate justice revolution that separates development from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/tackling-the-issue-of-climate-change-presents-us-with-an-inflection/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Look, you are interested in trying to make sure that governments keep a clean environment, have regard for the lifestyles of indigenous peoples, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/look-you-are-interested-in-trying-to-make-sure-that-governments-keep/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [ I felt when I was elected that the most important task on this island \[Ireland\] was to extend the hand of friendship right across… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-felt-when-i-was-elected-that-the-most-important-task-on-this-island/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [We now know that climate change is a driver of migration, and is expected to increase the displacement of populations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/we-now-know-that-climate-change-is-a-driver-of-migration-and-is/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-was-elected-by-the-women-of-ireland-who-instead-of-rocking-the/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [There are numerous issues that governments used to deal with that they now no longer deal with to the same extent: Prisons have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/there-are-numerous-issues-that-governments-used-to-deal-with-that/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [As Elders, we are fully committed to the principle that all human beings are of equal worth. You will see that we highlight equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/as-elders-we-are-fully-committed-to-the-principle-that-all-human/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [I agree with those who argue that it is possible to distil from the religions of the world their common values and relevance. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-agree-with-those-who-argue-that-it-is-possible-to-distil-from-the/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Freedom from discrimination for women, ensuring that female children can learn to read, these are human needs for half the human race, not western…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/freedom-from-discrimination-for-women-ensuring-that-female-children/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [All countries are particular and no models are perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/all-countries-are-particular-and-no-models-are-perfect/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) [Explore all 108 Mary Robinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and drawing-board phase, to move beyond thinking and talking about the foundations stones - to laying those foundation stones, inch by inch, together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Robinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow-a-term-from-engineering-is-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow-a-term-from-engineering-is-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/354/mary-robinson-4639_aim_the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow_1993668.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and…” — Mary Robinson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mary Robinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The aim of human rights, if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow-a-term-from-engineering-is-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-aim-of-human-rights-if-i-may-borrow-a-term-from-engineering-is-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```