Declaration of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Resolution 217 A (III) of 10.12.1948

Preamble

Whereas the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human community is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, whereas the failure to recognize and the contempt for human rights have led to acts of barbarism which have filled the conscience of mankind with indignation, and whereas it has been proclaimed that a world in which men enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want is the highest aspiration of man, since it is necessary to protect human rights by the rule of law, lest man be compelled to resort to insurrection against tyranny and oppression as a last resort, since it is necessary to protect the

To promote the development of friendly relations among nations, the peoples of the United Nations having reaffirmed in the Charter their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women, and having resolved to promote social progress and better conditions of life in larger freedom, the Member States having undertaken to work with the United Nations for universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, a common understanding of these rights and freedoms being of the utmost importance for the full realization of this obligation, The General Assembly proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common ideal to be attained by all peoples and nations, in order that each individual and all organs of society may constantly bear it in mind and strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive national and international measures to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance by the peoples of the Member States themselves and by the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should treat one another in the spirit of

Meeting brotherhood.

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Furthermore, no distinction may be made on the basis of the political, legal or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, regardless of whether it is independent, under trusteeship, has no self-government or is otherwise restricted in its sovereignty.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4

No one may be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade are prohibited in all their forms.

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 be recognized as having legal capacity everywhere.

Article 7

All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law without distinction. All are entitled to

equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted to him by the Constitution or by law.

Article 9

No one may be arbitrarily arrested, detained or expelled from the country.

Article 10

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11

Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. No one may be convicted of an act or omission which was not punishable under national or international law at the time it was committed. Similarly, no more severe penalty may be imposed than the penalty threatened at the time of the commission of the offense.

Article 12

No one may be subjected to arbitrary interference with their private life, their family, their home and their correspondence or to damage to their honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to legal protection against such interference or impairment.

Article 13

Everyone has the right to move freely within a state and to choose his place of residence freely. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14

Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries.

This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions actually arising from crimes of a non-political nature or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15

Everyone has the right to a nationality.

No one may be arbitrarily deprived of their nationality or denied the right to change their nationality.

Article 16

Marriageable women and men have the right to marry without restriction on the grounds of race, nationality or religion

and start a family. They have equal rights when getting married, during the marriage and when it is dissolved.

A marriage may only be entered into with the free and unrestricted consent of the future spouses.

The family is the natural basic unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state.

Article 17

Everyone has the right to own property both alone and in community with others.

No one may be arbitrarily deprived of their property.

Article 18

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20

All people have the right to assemble peacefully and form associations.

No one may be forced to belong to an association.

Article 21

Everyone has the right to participate in shaping the public affairs of their country, either directly or through freely elected representatives.

Everyone has the right to equal access to public office in their country.

The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of public power; this will shall be expressed in regular, genuine, universal and equal elections by secret ballot or by an equivalent free voting procedure.

Article 22

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to enjoy, through national measures and international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23

Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of occupation, to fair and satisfactory working conditions and to protection from unemployment.

Everyone, without distinction, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

Everyone who works has the right to fair and satisfactory remuneration that provides him and his family with a dignified living.

existence, if necessary supplemented by other social protection measures. Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions to protect their interests.

Article 24

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure and, in particular, to a reasonable limit on working hours and regular paid leave.

Article 25

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability or widowhood, old age or other loss of means of subsistence through no fault of his own. Mothers and children are entitled to special care and support. All children, both legitimate and illegitimate, enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26

Everyone has the right to education. Education is free, at least primary education and basic education. Primary education is compulsory. Technical and vocational education must be made generally available, and higher education

must be open to all equally according to their abilities.

Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall contribute to understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial or religious groups and shall be conducive to the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. Parents have a primary right to choose the type of education to be given to their children.

Article 27

Everyone has the right to participate freely in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to take part in scientific research.

progress and its achievements.

Everyone has the right to protection of the intellectual and material interests that accrue to them as the author of works of science, literature or art.

Article 28

Everyone has the right 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 towards the community in which alone the free and full development of their personality is possible.

In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law solely for the purpose of securing recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

These rights and freedoms shall in no case conflict with the purposes and principles of the United Nations

be exercised.

Article 30

Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed as conferring upon any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the elimination of any of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration.