This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted after World War II and the Holocaust to ensure that never again would people be denied their basic rights and dignity. Jackie Smith, associate professor of sociology and peace studies at the Kroc Institute, reflects on what the Declaration means today.
What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
It’s a set of 30 articles detailing the rights and freedoms of every person around the globe, including the right to freedom of speech and religion, to equal treatment under the law, and to health care, education, and a decent standard of living. The U.N. General Assembly adopted it in December, 1948, in large part due to the efforts of Eleanor Roosevelt. She chaired the committee that helped draft the Declaration, and she played a key role in convincing reluctant governments to accept it.
What difference does it really make?
Legally, it’s the basis for all of the human rights treaties in the United Nations, such as those for the protection of civil rights, women’s rights, and children. When the United Nations adopted this document, they urged everyone to become familiar with it. They realized that the only way to implement it was if people read it and demanded that their leaders comply with it. History shows that those in power never give away rights; people have to organize and demand them. When governments uphold rights, it’s because people are watching them and putting pressure on them to comply.
Why should we still read it?
In many respects, international human rights are more threatened today than at any other time in history. The multiple challenges of climate change, energy and food shortages, financial volatility, and economic inequality coincide with the war in Iraq, growing risks of nuclear proliferation, and a growing number of human rights violations carried out as part of the “war on terror.” As people and nations feel more insecure, threats to human rights are more likely. History tells us that only universal human rights can end the threats to human security that lead to wars and other forms of violence. The document’s 60th anniversary reminds us of our obligation to help make this a living document that has meaning for more of the world’s people.
More about Jackie Smith »
Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Learn more about 60th anniversary events at Notre Dame
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