Haƙƙin rayuwa shine imani cewa wata halitta tana da yancin rayuwa kuma, musamman, bai kamata wata ƙungiya ta kashe shi ba, gami da gwamnati. Ma’anar ‘yancin rayuwa ta taso ne a cikin muhawara kan batutuwan da suka hada da hukuncin kisa, inda wasu ke kallonsa a matsayin rashin da’a; yaki, wanda wasu ke ganin ba daidai ba ne kuma mummunan aiki; zubar da ciki, inda wasu ke ganin bai kamata a kawo karshen rayuwar da ba a haifa ba da wuri; euthanasia, inda ake ganin ƙarshen rayuwar tsoho a waje da yanayin halitta ba daidai ba; rashin tausayi na 'yan sanda, wanda ake gani a matsayin cin zarafi na 'yancin rayuwa; kisan gilla, tare da wasu sun gaskata cewa babu wani misali na kisan kai da ya dace da gaske; da hakkin dabbobi, wadanda ake ganin rayuwarsu ta cancanci kariya kamar ta mutane. Mutane dabam-dabam na iya yin sabani a kan wanne daga cikin waɗannan fagagen ƙa'idar 'yancin rayuwa za ta iya aiki.