The Declaration was adopted, in the General Assembly of the United Nations, on 10 December 1948, from the need to commit governments to preventing the atrocities that had come to light at the end of the Second World War. The first global expression of rights of which all human beings are inherently entitled.

All 48 nations voted in favour of the declaration. The event marked the first global statement of rights to which all persons are inherently entitled. It consists of 30 articles that have acquired the force of law through subsequent international treaties, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions and other statutes. The commission was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt.

The two first articles collect basic human rights principles: liberty, equality, dignity and non discrimination.

Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And endowed with reason and conscience. They should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Articles collect rights related to individual right:

  • in the community,
  • freedom of opinion and expression,
  • freedom of movement and residence,
  • freedom of religion,
  • freedom of peaceful assembly and association;
  • social security,
  • participate in the cultural life, among others.

Article 27
1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

‘Read the full Charter of Rights’

Photo by: The Guardian