The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (short note)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Origin. On 10 December 1948 the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and proclaimed it, and asked every member country to publicise its text, above all through schools and other educational institutions, whatever the political status of the country or territory.

Content of the preamble. The preamble treats recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal, inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace. It recalls that disregard and contempt for human rights led to barbarous acts which outraged the conscience of mankind, and it calls a world of free speech and belief, without fear or want, the highest hope of common people. It holds that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, so that people are not driven, as a last resort, to rebel against tyranny and oppression. It recalls that in the UN Charter the peoples of the member states restated their belief in basic human rights, in the worth of each human person and in equality between men and women, and that the member states undertook to promote respect for these rights everywhere. The Assembly then proclaims the Declaration as a shared standard of achievement for every people and every nation, which every individual and every organ of society should promote by teaching and education and by progressive national and international measures.

Significance. The Declaration builds on the idea that every person has dignity simply as a human being, and tries to recognise the claims that the world community collectively sees as important for a life of dignity and self-respect. Oppressed people across the world have used the notion of universal human rights to challenge laws that segregate them and deny them equal rights. Its limit is that a moral appeal of this kind succeeds mainly through the support of governments and the law, which is why rights are given legal and constitutional recognition, as in India's Fundamental Rights.