Universal Declaration of Human Rights Series Part 1

Human rights are something we’ve often heard of; you certainly have heard a politician, an advocate or an activist talk about it on various media. But how much do you know about human rights?

Well, Universal Declaration of Human Rights is something every person should read. Enacted by the UN, it is the one thing every human being on the earth is entitled to!

The first article of the UN’s declaration sums it well. “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.”

Those two sentences, alongside the rest of the 29 more articles that follows were translated into 502 languages to date: making it the single most translated piece of document on the entire planet.

Enacted in 1948, the original bill was drafted by representatives from different corners of the world. These people of different legal and cultural background, formed the Commission on Human Rights under the UN Economic and Social Council in June 1946. Their aim? To make sure everyone in the world is entitled to basic rights and freedoms, something that was unimaginable during the Second World War just several years ago.

Human atrocities were committed by Nazi Germany against millions of Jews, and let’s not forget the thousands of innocent people who lost their lives here during the Japanese occupation of our country. These violations of human rights are something that 48 member countries at that time, deemed enough is enough. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in the UN on that very day of 10th December, 1948, with 48 in favour, none against, and eight abstentions.

On this special three parts series of R.I.G.H.T.s (Rights In Global Humanity’s Terms) in the Facts and The World section of INTI News, we will explore three different pieces of documents that guarantee the basic freedom and rights everyone in the world deserve. Be sure to check out the full details and history of the declaration at un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/, read the declaration in any language you want, and there’s even an illustrated version of the declaration on the website.

Next week, we will talk about Geneva Conventions. Stay tuned.

#Facts