The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
resolution 217 A (III) on December 10th, 1948. The UDHR is a common standard of achievement, which recognizes the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all people in all nations.
Below is an abbreviated version of the UDHR. If you wish to see the full version it can be
viewed at http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm.
All people everywhere have the same human rights, which no one can take away.
This is the basis of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.
This Declaration affirms the dignity and worth of all people, and the equal rights of women
and men. The rights described here are the common standard for all people everywhere.
Every person and nation is asked to support the understanding and respect for these rights,
and to take steps to make sure that they are recognized and observed everywhere, for all people.
Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7: All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.
Article 8: Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.
Article 11: Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Article 12: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.
Article 13: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement.
Article 14: Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
Article 15: Everyone has the right to a nationality.
Article 16: Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and have a family.
Article 17: Everyone has the right to own property.
Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Article 20: Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Article 21: Everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country.
Article 22: Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to the realization of economic, social and cultural rights.
Article 23: Everyone has the right to work in fair and safe conditions. Everyone has the right to form or to join trade unions.
Article 24: Everyone has the right to rest and leisure.
Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being.
Article 26: Everyone has the right to education.
Article 27: Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community.
Article 28: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29: Everyone has duties to the community.
Article 30: There is nothing in the UDHR that justifies any person or state doing anything that takes away from the rights to which we are all entitled.
