The protection of minorities as human rights consequence: citizenship, natural law, and its relation to the protection of vulnerable groups

This article is based on the hypothesis that the protection of minorities results from the effective exercise of citizenship, which, in turn, is derived from human rights. Based on this premise, the history of the evolution of natural law until its conversion into human rights is analyzed, emphasizing theoretical aspects of the general theory of law. Afterward, it is possible to observe how the protection of vulnerable groups fits into the concept of citizenship. The general objective, therefore, is to analyze from which perspective the protection of vulnerable groups can fi t in as a result of the right to citizenship and under which approach it should be treated. It seeks, therefore, to legally validate affirmative measures taken by state bodies to ensure rights to such groups with a focus on citizenship.