Civil Rights or Human Rights - How are these rights perceived, defined and understood?

The discussion of civil rights and human rights take places in classrooms, during lunch hours, at kitchen tables, at family gatherings, among friends, with civil rights and human rights groups, organizations and members and in blogs. People seem to have a different perception, viewpoint and understanding of how civil rights and human rights are defined. Are they interchangeable? Are they the same? Are they different? Who and what rights are inclusive under civil rights or human rights? These questions seem to be discretionary and subjective.

Civil rights for many people in generations born before the 1970s are seen as those rights for people, specifically those identified as minorities, who faced discrimination based on race and gender. The identification for Civil Rights has been extended and now includes discrimination against those based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and those with disabilities. Civil Rights and Human Rights have been used interchangeably as rights that are two in the same.

However, Human Rights are not rights that we readily talk about in this country, unless we are in a court of law. We normally discuss human rights in terms of how other governments treat their citizens and the residents of their towns, provinces and cities, and small governments inside of larger governments. Yet, human rights is something that we all hope we get the privilege of experiencing for ourselves and our fellow brothers and sister worldwide. Yet, we must continue to fight for these rights and ability to exercise them.

Human rights covers more than just discrimination, but it seems to include rights that are still being fought for and the ability to exercise and access them. The definition of civil rights and human rights seems to keep being redefined.

What is the true definition of either? Do you know?