The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights after World War II to define human rights for member countries. It contains 30 articles outlining basic human rights and is not legally binding. Some criticize it for being Western-biased, but many nations have ratified it.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document drawn up by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights after the end of the Second World War. The document was intended to more clearly define the “rights” mentioned in the UN charter, while also providing a clear and general definition of human rights for all member countries. The Declaration has since been translated into over 300 languages and is widely quoted around the world.
One of the document’s proponents was Eleanor Roosevelt, who was chairman of the commission when the document was drafted. Roosevelt also contributed a significant amount of text. On December 10, 1948, the document was officially ratified by 48 member nations, while eight abstained from voting.
Overall, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights comprises 30 articles that clearly outline basic human rights such as freedom from torture and slavery. The Declaration is intended to set out clearly and simply all the rights to which people are entitled worldwide and serves as an advisory statement rather than a legally binding document. United Nations member countries are encouraged to uphold these rights by making copies of the document widely available.
Many of the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are drawn from the already existing bills of rights of different nations. The Declaration is intended to promote equality and freedom and includes a number of articles that focus on basic legal protections, such as the right to a fair trial. Women, children and families are also addressed in several articles because these groups face specific issues. Furthermore, Article 29 indicates that humans and governments have mutual responsibilities to ensure that human rights are preserved and protected.
Some people have criticized the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, arguing that it is written with a very Western and Judeo-Christian bias. Muslims in particular are concerned about the Declaration, fearing that some aspects of it could conflict with their religious beliefs. Some Eastern nations also believe that the concept of human rights belongs to Western philosophy, rather than to the whole world. Despite this opposition, many Eastern nations or countries with large Muslim populations have ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, indicating their support.
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