Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

70 years ago, on December 10th, 1948, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is based on the lessons learnt during the Second World War and the innumerable disasters that the humanity faced. The preamble of the Declaration states that it is proclaimed “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.”

Currently, more than 100 national consti­tu­tions contain a list of fundamental rights that either reproduces the provisions of the Declaration or is included under its influence. Among them are the right to life and physical integrity, to equal protection by the law, the right of privacy in personal and family life, the right to move freely and choose one’s place of residence, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to free speech, etc.

The declaration is not a reflection of the views of any one nation or any group of nations. It is not a product of any particular political doctrine or philosophical system. It was developed as a result of intellectual and spiritual cooperation between representatives of different nations. This ensures its value and relevance, and this gives it a great moral weight. For 70 years, the Declaration has allowed to protect the dignity of people, and therefore serves as the basis for creating a more just world.