Universal Declaration of Human Rights [1948]

 Universal Declaration of Human Rights [1948]

Preamble

Wheras recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable

rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice

aand peace in the world,

   Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous

acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world

in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from

fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common

people,

   Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a

last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights

should be protected by the rule of law,

   Whereas it is essenntial to promote the development of friendly relations

between nations,

   Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed

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 have determined to promote

social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

   Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation

with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance

of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

   Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the

greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

   Now, therefore,

   The General Assembly

   Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of

achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual

and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall

strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and

freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure

their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples

of Member States themselves and among 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 act towards one another in a

spirit of brotherhood.

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.

   Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,

jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a

person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under

any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3

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

Article 4

   No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade

shall be 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 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 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 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, in the determination of his rights and

obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11

   1.  Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed

innocent until proven guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has

had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

   2.  No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or

ommision which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or

international law, at the time when it was committed.  Nor shall a heavier

penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal

offence was committed.

Article 12

   No one shall be subjected to artitrary interference with his privacy, family,

home or correspondance, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.  Everyone

has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13

   1.  Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the

borders of each State.

   2.  Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to

return to his country.

Article 14

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

from persecution.

   2.  This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely

arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and

principles of the United Nations.

Article 15

   1.  Everyone has the right to a nationality.

   2.  No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the

right to change his nationality.

Article 16

   1.  Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race,

nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.  They

are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its

dissolution.

   2.  Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the

intending spouses.

   3.  The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is

entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17

   1.  Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association

with others.

   2.  No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his 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 freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and

impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20

   1.  Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

   2.  No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21

   1.  Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country,

directly or through freely chosen representatives.

   2.  Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

   3.  The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government;

this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by

universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent

free voting procedures.

Article 22

   Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is

entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation

and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the

economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free

development of his personality.

Article 23

   1.  Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and

favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

   2.  Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for

equal work.

   3.  Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration

ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and

supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

   4.  Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the

protection of his interests.

Article 24

   Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation

of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25

   1.  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

and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the

event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of

livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

   2.  Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.

All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social

protection.

Article 26

   1.  Everyone has the right to education.  Education shall be free, at least

in the elementary and fundamental stages.  Elementary education shall be

compulsory.  Technical and professional education shall be made generally

available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis

of merit.

   2.  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 promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all

nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the

United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

   3.  Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be

given to their children.

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.

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

   1.  Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full

development of his personality is possible.

   2.  In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject

only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of

securing due 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.

   3.  These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the

purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30

   Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State,

group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed

at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.