The UN Charter Decoded: Building Blocks of International Law.

The UN Charter Decoded: Building Blocks of International Law.
  • April 19, 2024
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) works as a global road map for freedom and equality by protecting the rights of every person, everywhere. Nations reached a consensus for the first time on the freedoms and rights that needed to be protected universally in order for everyone to live with freedom, equality, and dignity.

On December 10, 1948, the newly formed United Nations enacted the UDHR in reaction to the "barbarous acts that outraged the conscience of mankind" that occurred during World War II. Following its ratification, human rights were acknowledged as the cornerstones of liberty, justice, and harmony.

A drafting group made up of officials from several different nations, including the USA, China, and Lebanon, started work on the UDHR in 1946. Later, representatives from Australia, Chile, France, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom were added to the drafting committee, bringing a wider range of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds to the table and enhancing the document's value. Following discussions among all UN members of the Commission on Human Rights, the UDHR was ultimately approved by the General Assembly in 1948.  

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights' Future

We are challenged to take the offensive by the legacy of the UDHR.  It requires us to fend off localised, international, and globalised attacks on human rights. It also implies that this will not be sufficient. It also demands of us that we overthrow established international systems that perpetuate past injustices and privileges, violate human rights, and muzzle advocates; additionally, it calls for radical reinvention, innovation, and leadership in order to change global government. 

Building fearless, visionary leadership, institutions, and systems that can safeguard our planet, future generations, and ourselves from all that torments us is something we can and must do.  

What is the mission of UDHR?

A landmark agreement is the UDHR. The globe saw the adoption of a universally recognised declaration designating all people as free and equal for the first time, irrespective of their gender, race, religion, or other attributes.

The right to free expression, the right to an education, the freedom from torture, and the right to petition for refuge are just a few of the thirty rights and freedoms outlined in the UDHR.

It encompasses political and civil rights such as freedoms of speech, life, and privacy. In addition, it covers cultural, social, and economic rights, including the right to decent housing, health care, and social security.

Below are the thirty articles that guarantee human beings basic rights.

  • ARTICLE 1
All human beings are born equal and free.
 
  • ARTICLE 2
Everyone is equal, regardless of colour, race, sex, language, politcs, religion, or where they were born. 
 
  • ARTICLE 3
Everyone has the right to life (and to live in safety and freedom).
 
  • ARTICLE 4
Everyone has the right to be free from any kind slavery.
 
  • ARTICLE 5
Everyone has the right to be free from any sort of torture.
 
  • ARTICLE 6
Everyone has the right to be recognised before the cout of law.
 
  • ARTICLE 7
We all people are equal before the law.
 
  • ARTICLE 8
Everyone has the right to fight for justice if their rights are violated.
 
  • ARTICLE 9
Everyone has the right to freedom from detention or arbitrary arrest, and exile.
 
  • ARTICLE 10
Everyone has the right to a fair and unbiased trial.
 
  • ARTICLE 11
Everyone has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
 
  • ARTICLE 12
Everyone has the right to privacy and freedom from attacks on their character.
 
  • ARTICLE 13
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and to be free to leave and return to their own country at anytime.
 
  • ARTICLE 14
Everyone has the right to seek asylum from any persecution.
 
  • ARTICLE 15
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
 
  • ARTICLE 16
Everyone has the right to marry at own will and to have a family.
 
  • ARTICLE 17
Everyone has the right to own property.
 
  • ARTICLE 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of religion, thought and conscience.
 
  • ARTICLE 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression and opinion.
 
  • ARTICLE 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful association and assembly.
 
  • ARTICLE 21
Everyone has the right to take part in government and public services.
 
  • ARTICLE 22
Everyone has the right to social security.
 
  • ARTICLE 24
Everyone has the right to leisure and rest.
 
  • ARTICLE 25
Everyone has the right to a decent standard of living, including food, housing, clothing, medical care, and social services.
 
  • ARTICLE 26
Everyone has the right to an education.
 
ARTICLE 27
Everyone has the right to participate in and enjoy culture, art, and science.
 
  • ARTICLE 28
Everyone has the right to a social and international order where the rights in this Declaration can be fully realized.
 
  • ARTICLE 29
We have a duty to other people, and we should protect their rights and freedoms.
 
  • ARTICLE 30
Nobody can take away these rights and freedoms from us.

Every government must handle human rights fairly, equitably, equally, and with equal attention because all human rights are equally vital. Regardless of their political, economic, or cultural structures, all states have an obligation to uphold and defend everyone's fundamental rights. 

Conclusion

All of the rights enumerated in the UDHR are therefore predicated on the fundamental notion that every individual is endowed with the same unalienable rights, regardless of individual differences. This implies that regardless of their circumstances, every man, woman, and child on the globe is entitled to the same human rights. 

Discrimination of any form is prohibited, including that based on race, colour, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, wealth, place of birth, or any other circumstance. Universal refers to everything and everyone. 

Human rights are indivisible and interrelated, as demonstrated by the UDHR. The 30 articles that make up the Declaration are all equally significant. It is not for anyone to determine which are more significant than others. Each and every other right suffers when one is taken away.

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