In classical moral, ethical, legal, and political discussions the concept of dignity expresses the idea that a being has the right to be valued and respected, and to be treated ethically.
In the modern context, dignity can function as an extension of the concepts of inherent, inalienable rights.
In the 20th century, dignity became an issue for physicians and medical researchers; it has been invoked in questions of the bioethics of human genetic engineering, human cloning, and end-of-life care.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Internet. Accessed on October 4, 2017.