PDP1 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

PDP1 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Author Bio:  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted by the UN General Assembly of 1948, including Eleanor Roosevelt (US), Charles Dukes (UK), Rene Cassin (France), and representatives from the USSR, Lebanon, Australia, China, Chile, and Canada. A recently-widowed Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the committee for the drafting of the declaration.

Date/Context: The United Nations was formed after World War II to prevent another conflict on such a large scale with the atrocities seen in the second World War. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was drafted on December 10, 1948. The final draft was handed to the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva and the draft sent out to all UN members was called the Geneva Draft. This is now used as the basis for the human rights to be protected in all countries.

Summary: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a collection of 30 articles that lay out the rights of "all members of the human family." The articles lay out the rights of individuals to be a part of a community, a right to education, employment, leisure, freedom of religion, freedom to leave and re-enter your country, the injustices of slavery and forced marriages.

Key Quotation:  "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." (Article 1, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.)