Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives from different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, through General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.

The UDHR sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages. It consists of 30 articles that articulate the basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled, including rights to life, liberty, and security of person; freedom from slavery and torture; freedom of opinion and expression; the right to work and education, and many others.

The Declaration was the first step in the process of formulating the International Bill of Human Rights, which was completed in 1966, and came into force in 1976, after a sufficient number of countries had ratified them. Although the UDHR is not a legally binding document, it has inspired more than 60 human rights instruments which together constitute an international standard of human rights. These instruments include the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have had a profound influence on the development of international human rights law. Today, the Declaration is a fundamental part of the human rights framework and continues to be cited by activists, scholars, and governments in the fight to ensure human rights for all people.