What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
The UDHR is a milestone international document that sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. Think of it as a global blueprint for dignity and equality.
When was it created? It was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, in the aftermath of World War II. The goal was to ensure the atrocities of that conflict would never be repeated.
Who wrote it? It was drafted by representatives from diverse legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, with Eleanor Roosevelt chairing the drafting committee.
What does it do? It consists of 30 Articles that define our basic rights"from the right to life and freedom from torture to the right to education and the right to seek asylum.
The UDHR is founded on several core ideas:
Universality: These rights belong to everyone, everywhere, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. You don't have to earn them; you are born with them.
Inalienable: These rights cannot be taken away.
Indivisible: You cannot pick and choose which rights apply. Civil/political rights (like free speech) and economic/social/cultural rights (like the right to work) are all equally important.
