What are civil rights?

Civil rights are fundamentally defined as the rights that protect individuals' freedoms from infringement by government and private individuals. This encompasses a broad range of protections and rights designed to ensure that every person has the ability to fully participate in civic and social life without discrimination or repression. The essence of civil rights is to ensure equal treatment and safeguard individuals against abuses, particularly in areas such as voting, housing, employment, and education.

This definition includes the idea that civil rights laws are often established and enforced to remove barriers that prevent individuals from enjoying their freedoms, particularly those related to race, gender, disability, and religion, among other characteristics. These rights are vital for maintaining a just and equitable society, as they empower individuals and uphold the principle of equality under the law.

The other options focus on different concepts that do not encapsulate the comprehensive nature of civil rights as established in legal frameworks and social justice principles. For instance, defining civil rights exclusively for citizens does not acknowledge the rights of other individuals who might be present in a society. Unwritten societal norms refer more to informal expectations within a community rather than legally protected rights. Local regulations imposed by states might pertain to specific policies but do not inherently relate to the overarching protections that civil rights provide.