THE UNITED NATIONS’ UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
INTRODUCTION
The world’s recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Whereas the disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. In a civilized society, it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, then human rights should be protected by the rule of law.
The United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom. Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and a common understanding of these rights and freedom are of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.
Pursuant to the foregoing, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
THE MAKING OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a regarded as a milestone document in the history of human rights which was drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world and it set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights needed to be protected. There is no doubt, UDHR is generally agreed to be the foundation of international human rights law which was adopted in Paris France, in the year 1948 by the United Nations assembly which endorsed the declaration’s preamble and 30 articles which set out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected. It is pertinent to not that the declaration is not a treaty and has not been signed or ratified by states, but was the precursor to more than 80 subsequent human rights conventions and treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights.
The UDHR represents the universal recognition that basic rights and fundamental
freedoms are inherent to all human beings, inalienable and equally applicable
to everyone, and that every one of us is born free and equal in dignity and
rights. Whatever our nationality, place of residence, gender, national or
ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status, the international
community on 10th December, 1948 the world made a commitment to
upholding dignity and justice for all of us. The UDHR became a foundational
instrument of the modern international human rights system.
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The UDHR is considered groundbreaking for providing a comprehensive and universal set of principles for human rights in a secular, apolitical document that explicitly transcends cultures, religions, legal systems, and political ideologies. The Declaration consists of 30 articles detailing individual’s basic rights and affirming their universal character as inherent, inalienable and applicable to all human beings. The UDHR was officially adopted as a French document, with official translations in English, Chinese, Russian and Spanish, all of which are official working languages of the United Nations. Due to its inherently universalist nature, the UN has made a concerted effort to translate the document into as many languages as possible, in collaboration with private and public entities and individuals. In 1999, the Guinness Book of Records described the Declaration as the world's "Most Translated Document", with 298 translations; the record was once again certified a decade later when the text reached 370 different languages and dialects. The UDHR achieved a milestone of over 500 translations in 2016, and as of 2024, has been translated into 562 languages, remaining the most translated document.
Although the Declaration is not legally binding, it has been incorporated into or influenced most national constitutions since 1948. It has also served as the foundation for a growing number of national laws, international laws, and treaties, as well as for a growing number of regional, subnational, and national institutions protecting and promoting human rights. The Declaration's all-encompassing provisions serve as a "yardstick" and point of reference by which countries' commitments to human rights are judged, such as through the treaty bodies and other mechanisms of various human rights treaties that monitor implementation. And as a result of which the Declaration has been able to achieve the following:
1. The Declaration has been able to recommend governments of member states to show their adherence by using every means within their power solemnly to publicise the text of the declaration and to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.
2. The Declaration also requests the Secretary-General to have this it widely disseminated and, to that end, to publish and distribute texts, not only in the official languages, but also, using every means at his disposal, in all languages possible
3. It also calls on specialised agencies and non-governmental organisations of the world to do their utmost to bring this declaration to the attention of their members.
4. The 10th Day of December is annually marked as a Human Rights Day to commemorate the declaration’s adoption and create more awareness of the Human rights.
Although Human right abuses did not end when the Declaration was adopted, but since then, several persons have gained greater freedom and violations of Human rights have been prevented and significant independence and autonomy have been attained.
CONCLUSION
The UDHR still remains a
relevant document after 76 years of its adoption by the General Assembly of the
United Nations. As earlier noted, even though the Declaration is not legally
binding, it has become a yardstick to measure some basic rights of individuals
and provided a foundation for a just and decent future for all which has given
people everywhere in the world a powerful tool in the fight against oppression,
impunity and affronts to human dignity.
References:
1. United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2. Akkad, Dania "Human Rights: The Universal Declaration vs The Cairo Declaration". Middle East Centre, London School of Economics.10th December, 2012.
3. Guinness World Records. “Most translated document”
4. Avaliable at {https://www.un.org/en/about-us/udhr/history-of-the-declaration} Last Accessed 22/01/2025.
5. Available at {https://search.app/hdUGb8GHTBzWgi58} Last Accessed 22/01/2025.
Honour Happy-John Esq.
(Human and Community Rights Centre)