UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Meaning of Human Right

Human rights are basic entitlement or privileges that every citizen enjoys in a country irrespective of sex, tribe or religion. These rights are natural and inalienable and they remain rights as long as the state recognises them and prepares to protect them, no matter what they are called. These rights are specified in most written constitutions, commonly referred to as Fundamental Human Rights.

Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR)

The Universal Declaration on Human Right (UDHR) is a statement or document of the United Nations Organization that provides the basis for promoting and enforcing the observance of human rights by government all over the world.

The UDHR reflects fundamental beliefs shared by countries around the world regarding human rights. The declaration is the first part of the international Bill of Rights, and it sets out the fundamental human rights of every human being.

Historical Background of UDHR

The Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 10^th December 1948, as a result of the experience of the Second World War. During the war, over six million people were killed. These killings horrifies the world, and some of the people who took part in it were tried and punished for committing war crimes, crime against peace and  crime against humanity. With the establishment of United Nations, members resort to prevent the re-occurrence of the atrocities that took place during the Second World War (WWII). They wanted to ensure that no one would be unjustly denied life, freedom, food, shelter and nationality again.

To bring this about, the UN established a commission on Human Rights headed by Eleanor Roosevelt, and charged with the task of drafting document spelling out the meaning of the fundamental rights and freedoms. On December 10^th, 1948, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted. The UDHR, commonly referred to as International Magna Carta, prescribes how government should treat its own citizens and made it a matter of legitimate international concern, and not only a domestic issue.

The principles of UDHR have been incorporated into the constitutions of most of more than 192 nations now in the UN. The Universal Declaration has achieved the status of customary international law because people regard it “as a common standard of achievement for all people and all nations”.

The UN commission on Human Rights proceeded to draft two treaties with the goal of establishing mechanisms for enforcing the UDHR. They are: the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The ICCPR focuses on such issues as the right to life, freedom of speech, religion and voting. While the ICESCR focuses on food, education, health and shelter. Both covenants uphold the rights of all persons and prohibit discrimination.