THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 498.

Ex.7. Survey the description of a fundamental international document. Explain why it is considered to be a very important one.

(1) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a foundational document of international human rights law. It was adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948. The day is now celebrated annually as Human Rights Day. Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most active public figures who helped make the document a reality.

(2) Two key ethical considerations serve as the basis for the document: it confirms the inherent dignity of every human being and humankind's commitment to nondiscrimination.The declaration's drafting process was marked by a series of debates. Lots of amendments were made to the first draft. Besides, the Declaration was adopted on the onset of the Cold War when the relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were hostile. That's why for years its content led to sharp ideological disputes. Anyway, for years the document has maintained its supremeauthority on human rights issues.

(3) The Declaration comprises 30 articles. They explicitly present key civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Because of the ideological hostilitiescaused by the Cold War, it became common to view civil and political rights independently of economic, social, and cultural rights. In fact, this is a misinterpretation of both the letter and the spirit of the document. For example, it is impossible for a society to fulfill its commitment to the right to education (Article 26) without taking seriously its commitment to the right to seek, receive, and transfer information (Article 19).

(4) The Declaration is not an actual law. Therefore, its nonbinding status was perceived as one aspect which makes the document weak and vulnerable. However, some observers have argued that it is one of its major advantages. The flexibility of the Declaration has offered possibilities for new strategies to promote human rights and numerous legislative initiatives in international human rights law. For example, the United Nations used the Declaration's provisions to condemn violationsof human rights in various parts of the world, for instance, racial discriminationin South Africa. More than any other instrument, the Declaration is responsible for making the notion of human rights universally accepted.