UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

About the Declaration:

• It is a document that acts like a global road map for freedom and equality – protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere.
• The UDHR was adopted by the newly established United Nations on 10 December 1948, in response to the acts of mankind during the Second World War.
  • The UDHR was discussed by all members of the UN Commission on Human Rights and finally adopted by the General Assembly in 1948.
• Although it is not legally binding, the protection of the rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration has been incorporated into many national constitutions and domestic legal frameworks.
• India’s role– At various stages of drafting, India made a series of substantive contributions to the numerous articles that made up the UDHR.
• The UDHR, together with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR) and its two Optional Protocols, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights(ICESCR), form the so – called International Bill of Human Rights.

Significance of the declaration:

• Its adoption recognised human rights to be the foundation for freedom, justice and peace.
• For the first time, the world had a globally agreed document that marked out all humans as being free and equal, regardless of sex, colour, creed, religion or other characteristics.
• The UDHR continues to serve as a foundation for national and international laws and standards.

The Declaration outlines 30 rights and freedoms that belong to all. (Open link for Articles Infogram)

• The 30 rights and freedoms set out in the UDHR include:
  • Right to be free from torture
  • Right to freedom of expression
  • Right to education
  • Right to seek asylum.
  • Civil and political rights, such as the rights to life, liberty and privacy.
  • Economic, social and cultural rights, such as the rights to social security, health and adequate housing.