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On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United
Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
[Resolution 217 A ]. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all
member countries to publicize 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." Below, some portions of the
Declaration have been excerpted and others summarized. The full text of the
Declaration is available via the Internet: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html.
PREAMBLE
"Whereas 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 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,
"Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be
compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and
oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
"Whereas it is essential to promote the development
of friendly relations between nations,
"Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in
the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the 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,
"Whereas 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,
"Whereas a common understanding of these rights and
freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,
"Now, therefore, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS
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.
Article 1.
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards
one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms
set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race,
color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social
origin, property, birth, or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be
made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional, or international status of
the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
trust, non-self-governing, or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security
of person.
Article 4.
"No one shall be held in slavery or servitude;
slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5.
"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel,
inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment."
Articles 6–11.
All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to
equal legal protection including a lack of discrimination, access to legal
tribunals, freedom from arbitrary arrest and/or detention, and the right to the
presumption of innocence.
Articles 12–21.
All persons have a right to privacy, to nationality and
asylum, and to political participation; as well as freedom of movement and
association and freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
Article 22.
"Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to
social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and
international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources
of each State, of the economic, social, and cultural rights indispensable for
his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
"(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice
of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work, and to protection
against unemployment. (2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to
equal pay for equal work. (3) Everyone who works has the right to just and
favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy
of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social
protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection
of his interests.
Article 24.
"Everyone has the right to rest and leisure,
including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
"(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including
food, clothing, housing and medical care, and necessary social services, and the
right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. (2)
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All
children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social
protection."
Articles 26–28.
All persons have a right to education and full
participation in the cultural life of the community.
Article 29.
"(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which
alone the free and full development of his personality is possible. (2) In the
exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such
limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due
recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the
just requirements of morality, public order, and the general welfare in a
democratic society. (3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised
contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
"Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as
implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or
to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms
set forth herein."
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