Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Preamble

Whereas 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 and 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 essential 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 cooperation 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,

he 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 efective 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. hey 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 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 of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the full text of which appears here. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.

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 ofence 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 defence.

2. No one shall be held guilty of any penal ofence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal ofence, 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 ofence was committed.

Article 12

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, 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. his right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from nonpolitical 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. hey 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. he 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 to equal access to public service in his country.

3. h e 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 suf rage 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 ef ort 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 scienti c advancement and its bene ts.

2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scienti c, 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. h ese 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.

accession: 1. acceptance of a treaty by a state that did not participate in its negotiation

or drating. 2. the act of coming to or attaining (a throne, power, etc.).

Acholi: an ethnic group in northern Uganda, a landlocked country of East Africa.

adoption: a process by which a state agrees to international law; with regard to

treaties, adoption usually refers to the initial diplomatic stage at which a treaty

is accepted; in order to become efective, ater adoption a treaty usually must be

ratiied by the legislature.

African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (adopted 1981; entered into

force 1986): establishes human rights standards and protections for the African

region; notable for addressing community and group rights and duties.

African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights: institutional body

primarily responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights in

Africa.

African National Congress (ANC): the South African political party and black

nationalist organization founded in 1912 as the South African Native National

Congress. It has been the ruling party of post-apartheid South Africa as a social

democratic force.

Akkadian: the extinct language of an empire that was centered in the city of Akkad

and the surrounding region located in central Mesopotamia (about 50 miles

from the center of modern Baghdad, Iraq).

American Convention on Human Rights (adopted in 1969; entered into force

1978): establishes human rights standards and protections for the Americas;

creates the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (1965): nonbinding

declaration of regional human rights standards; it has evolved into an inluential

document, as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has given it value.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: consensus document emerging

from the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, reviewing and

reairming womens human rights in all aspects of life; signed by representatives

at the conference and morally but not legally binding.

Bloc: a group of countries or political parties who have formed an alliance. For

example, the Communist Bloc.

charter: a document issued by a sovereign or state, outlining the conditions under

which a corporation, colony, city or other corporate body is organized, and

deining its rights and privileges.

Charter of the Organization of American States (signed 1948; entered into

force 1951): initial charter of the Organization of American States creating the

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Charter of the United Nations (signed 1945; entered into force 1945): initial

document of the United Nations which spells out the rules for the UN and

restates some of the basic principles of international law.

Coke, Sir Edward: (15521634) English jurist (one versed in the law, as a judge,

lawyer or scholar), who is considered one of the most eminent jurists in all English

history, and best known as a compiler of the law. As a member of Parliament he

continually clashed with the Crown and routinely challenged royal authority. In

1621, as a leader in a debate he urged that Parliament should not be subservient

to the king. A few years later, Coke helped to write the Petition of Right, the most

explicit statement of the principles of liberty to appear in England up to that

time and which became an integral part of the English constitution.

Commission on Human Rights: a UN commission comprising a group of

representatives of diferent countries that deal with situations involving human

rights and fundamental freedoms anywhere in the world. Special rapporteurs

report to this commission or its subcommissions.

Commission on the Status of Women (CSW): body formed by the Economic

and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations as the principal UN

policymaking body for women; monitors implementation of the Beijing

Platform for Action.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Committee against Torture: the treaty-monitoring body established by the

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment

or Punishment to hear violations of that convention.

Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe: the political arm of the

European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Freedoms; can refer cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: the

treaty-monitoring body created by the Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Discrimination against Women to monitor state compliance with that

convention.

Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: the treaty-monitoring

body created by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination to monitor state compliance with that convention.

complaint: in legal terms, the initial document that begins an action; sets forth a

brief summary of what happened and argues why relief should be granted. In

a human rights case, the complaint (or petition or communication) alleges that

a government or individual or institution that must answer to human rights

standards (such as a surrogate of the government) has violated the human rights

of speciic individuals or groups of individuals.

convention: binding agreement between states; used synonymously with treaty

and covenant. When conventions are adopted by the UN General Assembly,

they create legally binding international obligations for the Member States who

have signed the convention. When a national government ratiies a convention,

the articles of that convention become part of its domestic legal obligations.

Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading

Treatment or Punishment (adopted 1984; entered into force 1987):

convention deining and prohibiting torture.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

(CEDAW) (Womens Convention) (adopted 1979; entered into force 1981):

the irst legally binding international document prohibiting discrimination

against women and obligating governments to take airmative steps to advance

the equality of women.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

(CERD) (adopted 1965; entered into force 1969): convention deining and

prohibiting racial discrimination.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Convention on the Political Rights of Women (approved 1952; entered

into force 1954): early convention reairming womens rights in the political

sphere.

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

(approved 1948; entered into force 1951): international convention deining

and prohibiting genocide; irst human rights treaty of the United Nations.

Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and

Members of Their Families (adopted 1990; entered into force 2003):

convention deining the rights of migrant workers and their families.

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (adopted 1989; entered into

force 1990): convention setting forth a full spectrum of civil, cultural, economic,

social and political rights of children.

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted 1951; entered

into force 1954; revised by 1967 protocol): main convention establishing

the deinition of a refugee and stating the rights of refugees and obligations

of receiving states; deines a refugee as a person who has a well-founded fear of

persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular

social group or political opinion and who is outside the country of origin.

Uprooted people who stay within their country are known as displaced people.

Council of Europe: regional organization that acts as an umbrella organization

for regional cooperation on political, social and economic matters; note that the

council should be distinguished from the European Economic Community, a

wholly economic venture.

covenant: binding agreement between states; used synonymously with convention

and treaty. When covenants are adopted by the UN General Assembly, they

create legally binding international obligations for the Member States who

have signed the covenant. When a national government ratiies a covenant, the

articles of that covenant become part of its domestic legal obligations.

cuneiform: composed of slim triangular or wedge-shaped elements, as the

characters used in writing by the ancient Akkadians. Cuneiform also refers to

the system of writing in which such wedge-shaped impressions were made in

sot clay.

customary international law: law that becomes binding on states although it is not

written, but rather adhered to consistently out of custom; when enough states

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

have begun to behave as if something is the obligatory law, it indeed becomes

law; one of the main sources of international law.

Darfur: the westernmost region of the Sudan.

declaration: document stating agreed-upon standards but which is not legally

binding. UN conferences, like the 1993 UN Conference on Human Rights in

Vienna and the 1995 World Conference for Women in Beijing, usually produce

two sets of declarations: one written by government representatives and one

by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). he UN General Assembly oten

issues inluential but legally nonbinding declarations.

disappearances: a euphemism for politically motivated murders. Since those

arranging for the disappearances are usually government oicials, perpetrators

are rarely brought to justice.

displaced person: a person who lees his or her homeland due to political

persecution or war, but does not cross state borders; displaced persons can be

used as a phrase to refer to people who may consider themselves to be refugees

but who do not qualify for oicial refugee status under the Convention Relating

to the Status of Refugees.

double jeopardy: the subjecting of a person to a second trial or punishment for the

same ofense for which the person has already been tried or punished.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): United Nations council comprised

of 54 members and concerned primarily with the ield of population, economic

development, human rights and criminal justice; high-ranking body that receives

and discharges human rights reports in a variety of instances.

enter into force: the point of time when a treaty becomes fully binding on the

countries that have ratiied it. his usually happens when a certain number of

states have ratiied the treaty.

ETS: European Treaty Series.

European Commission of Human Rights: body established by the European

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

to investigate grievances of human rights and bring charges of violations. he

commission consists of a number of members equal to that of the number of

contracting parties to the convention.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

European Community Court of Justice: court created in 1952 as part of the

European Coal and Steel Community; court hears economic claims under

the European Economic Community Treaty and related agreements.

European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or Punishment (adopted 1987; entered into force

1989): regional parallel to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; distinctive feature is the

establishment of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture or

Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental

Freedoms (signed 1950; entered into force 1953): regional document that

guarantees civil and political human rights and establishes machinery for their

supervision and enforcement.

European Council: the principal policy- and rule-making institution of the

European Union.

European Court of Human Rights: court established by the European

Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

to hear allegations of human rights violations. he court consists of a number

of judges equal to that of the Members of the Council of Europe. Note that this

is distinguishable from the European Community Court of Justice, a body that

hears economic complaints.

European Court of Justice: the supreme tribunal of the European Union.

European Economic Community: established in 1958 to develop a common

European market free of trade barriers and to promote harmonization of laws

and practices.

European Parliament: the principal deliberative and supervisory institution of

the European Union.

European Social Charter (signed 1961; entered into force 1965): regional

document concerned with developing and protecting social and economic

rights; intended to be complementary to the European Convention on Human

Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, but having less force.

European Union: a regional intergovernmental organization that has as its goals

the elimination of internal frontiers and the establishment of an economic and

monetary union.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

General Assembly: one of the principal organs of the United Nations consisting of

all Member States; issues declarations and adopts conventions on human rights

issues; its actions are governed by the Charter of the United Nations.

general principles of law: principles that appear nearly universally in states

domestic law and, thus, over time become binding on all nations; one of the

main sources of international law.

Geneva Conventions: four treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set

standards for international law for humanitarian concerns. hey chiely concern

the treatment of noncombatants and prisoners of war. he adoption of the irst

Convention followed the foundation of the International Committee of the Red

Cross in 1863 and they have now been ratiied by 194 countries.

genocide: any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in

whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: (a) killing

members of the group; (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members

of the group; (c) deliberately inlicting the conditions of life calculated to bring

about the physical destruction of the group; (d) imposing measures intended to

prevent births within the group; (e) forcibly transferring children of the group

to another group. See Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the

Crime of Genocide.

habeas corpus: a writ (written command in the name of a court) requiring that

a person be brought before a judge or into court, especially to investigate the

lawfulness of their detention.

Helsinki Accords: declaration of principles by the Conference on Security and

Co-operation in Europe which seeks peace and human rights in Europe; irst

Helsinki document was called the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference (1975).

High Commissioner for Human Rights: United Nations oice charged with the

promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.

humanitarian law: the international rules that establish the rights of combatants

and noncombatants in war. See Geneva Conventions.

Human Rights Committee: the treaty-monitoring body created by the International

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to investigate and hear claims pertaining

to civil and political rights under that Covenant; one of six bodies charged with

monitoring compliance of Member States with UN human rights conventions.

human trafficking: the recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of

people for the purposes of slavery, forced labor (including bonded labor or debt

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

bondage) and servitude. he total annual revenue for traicking in persons is

estimated to be between $5 billion and $9 billion.

ICCPR: see International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

inalienable: refers to rights that belong to every person and cannot be taken from

a person under any circumstances.

infamous crime: a crime that is punishable by serious penalty, such as death, long

imprisonment or loss of civil rights.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: an organ of the Organization of

American States with power to conduct investigations into alleged human rights

violations and to recommend measures for the protection of human rights.

Inter-American Convention on Human Rights (signed 1969; entered into

force 1978): convention providing human rights protections in the Americas

and establishing the American Court of Human Rights.

Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication

of Violence against Women (entered into force 1995): regional convention

that provides a new mechanism for women in the Americas who sufer from

various forms of violence.

Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture (adopted 1985;

entered into force 1987): regional corollary to the Convention against Torture

and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Inter-American Court of Human Rights: a seven-member judicial body which

hears cases brought against member organizations concerning human rights

abuses; an organ of the Organization of American States.

International Bill of Human Rights: the combination of the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights (ICCPR) and its optional protocol, and the International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (adopted 1966;

entered into force 1976): convention that declares that all people have a broad

range of civil and political rights. One of three components of the International

Bill of Human Rights.

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

(adopted 1966; entered into force 1976): convention that declares that all

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

people have a broad range of economic, social and cultural rights. One of three

components of the International Bill of Human Rights.

international law: a set of rules generally regarded and accepted as binding in

relations between states and nations. Also called law of nations.

jurisdiction: the authority of courts or court-like bodies to hear and decide claims;

can refer to the courts ability to hear particular subjects and/or to review cases

brought by certain types of claimants; jurisdiction can also refer to a geographic

area of authority.

Mali: a landlocked state in central western Africa bounded by Algeria, Niger,

Burkina Faso, Senegal and Mauritania.

marginalized: placed in a position of insigniicant importance, inluence or

power.

Member States: countries that are members of the United Nations.

monitoring and reporting procedure: procedures not generally resulting in

legally enforceable remedies, resembling audits of government behavior which

result in nonbinding recommendations. In some cases, the reporting resembles

a self-inspection; governments report on their own compliance with human

rights obligations or a monitoring body initiates the report on government

behavior.

Myanmar: a country located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia,

bounded by China, Laos, hailand, Bangladesh and India. Also called Burma.

natural law: a theory that posits the existence of a law whose content is set by

nature and that therefore is valid everywhere; in philosophy, a system of right

or justice held to be common to all humans and derived from nature rather than

from the rules of society or positive law.

nonbinding: a document, like a declaration, that carries no formal legal obligations.

It may, however, carry moral obligations or attain the force of law.

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs): organizations formed by people

outside of government, NGOs monitor the proceedings of human rights bodies

such as the Commission on Human Rights and are the watchdogs of the

human rights that fall within their mandate. Some are large and international

(Save the Children, Amnesty International, the Girl Scouts); others may be small

and local (an organization to advocate for people with disabilities in a particular

city; a coalition to promote womens rights in one refugee camp). NGOs play a

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

major role in inluencing UN policy, and many of them have oicial consultative

status at the UN.

OAS: see Organization of American States.

OAU: see Organization of African Unity.

optional protocol: addendum to an international agreement to which the States

parties must agree separately; oten places additional obligations to the parties,

such as an agreement to submit to the jurisdiction of an international court.

Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political

Rights (adopted 1966; entered into force 1976): addendum attached to the

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. By signing this addendum,

states agree to allow the Human Rights Committee to consider individual

complaints, that is, complaints from individuals claiming to be denied any of

the rights in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Organization of African Unity (OAU): organization of independent African states

that work jointly to improve peace and the quality of life for the people of Africa.

he OAU Charter, the guiding document of the group, was adopted in 1963.

Organization of American States (OAS): organization of independent American

states created to strengthen peace and security in the region and to promote

regional cooperation on economic, social and cultural matters.

Organization on Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) (formerly the

CSCE): European attempt to settle security issues peacefully through a series

of creative collaborative ventures; formerly the Conference on Security and

Co-operation in Europe; declared the Helsinki Accords.

peoples rights: used synonymously with solidarity rights and collective

rights; refers to the rights of groups, not just individuals, such as the rights to

development, peace and a healthy environment.

petition: see complaint.

procedural requirements: technical requirements that must be met to bring a

claim, as distinguished from substantive requirements.

procedure: the various ways in which human rights claims can be made. See

monitoring and reporting procedure.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

protocol: supplemental addition to a treaty; when States parties can still agree to

the main treaty without signing on to the protocol, this is known as an optional

protocol.

ratification: process by which the legislative body of a state conirms a governments

action in signing a treaty; formal procedure by which a state becomes bound to

a treaty ater acceptance.

reporting procedure: see monitoring and reporting procedure.

Security Council: organ of the United Nations comprised of ive permanent

members and ten nonpermanent members elected by the General Assembly

that attempts to bring about peaceful settlements of disputes.

signature: an act by which a State provides a preliminary endorsement of a treaty.

Signing does not create a binding legal obligation but does demonstrate the

States intent to examine the treaty domestically and consider ratifying it. While

signing does not commit a State to ratiication, it does oblige the State to refrain

from acts that would defeat or undermine the treatys objective and purpose.

special rapporteur: a person given a speciic mission to investigate, gather

information and report on a certain human rights subject or the situation in a

particular part of the world. he Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or

Belief reports annually to the UN Commission on Human Rights on the status

of this human right worldwide.

treaty: binding agreement between states; used synonymously with covenant and

convention. When treaties are adopted by the UN General Assembly, they create

legally binding international obligations for the Member States who have signed

the treaty. When a national government ratiies a treaty, the articles of that treaty

become part of its domestic legal obligations.

United Nations Charter: initial document of the UN setting forth its goals,

functions and responsibilities; adopted in San Francisco in 1945.

United Nations General Assembly: the only United Nations organ in which

all Member States are represented. he General Assembly serves as a forum

for Member States to launch initiatives on international questions of peace,

economic progress and human rights.

United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR): the specialized

agency of the United Nations that deals with refugee issues and related

humanitarian concerns.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): adopted by the UN General

Assembly on December 10, 1948. he primary UN document establishing

human rights standards and norms, all Member States have agreed to uphold

the UDHR. Although the Declaration was intended to be nonbinding, through

time its various provisions have become so respected by states that it can now

be said to be customary international law.

Villiers, George: (15921628) English statesman, irst Duke of Buckingham

and favorite of James I, king of England. Buckingham had a great interest in

diplomacy and warfare and was allowed by James to virtually rule the country,

which he continued to do with the accession of Charles (King Charles I) in

1625. Parliament distrusted and resented Buckingham, inding him arrogant

and believing he had needlessly involved England in wars against France

(16261629) and Spain (16241630).

CHAMPIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

CSAR CHVEZ (19271993)

Mexican-American farm worker, labor leader and

civil rights activist Csar Chvez brought about better

conditions for agricultural workers by his actions. Born on

his familys farm near Yuma, Arizona, Chvez witnessed

the harsh conditions farm laborers endured. Workers were

routinely exploited by their employers, oten unpaid, living

in shacks in exchange for their labor, and with no medical

or other basic facilities. Without a united voice, they had no means to improve their

position. Chvez changed that when he dedicated his life to winning recognition of

the rights of agricultural workers, inspiring and organizing them into the National

Farm Workers Association which later became the United Farm Workers. hrough

marches, strikes and boycotts, Chvez forced employers to pay adequate wages

and provide other beneits and was responsible for legislation enacting the irst

Bill of Rights for agricultural workers. For his commitment to social justice and his

lifelong dedication to bettering the lives of his fellow men and women, Chvez was

posthumously recognized with the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal

of Freedom.

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person

who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot

oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

Csar Chvez


DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI (BORN 1945)

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been a major voice for human

rights and freedom in Burma (Myanmar), a country

dominated by a military government since 1962. Born in

Rangoon and studying at Oxford University, she became

politically active in 1988 when the Burmese junta violently

suppressed a mass uprising, killing thousands of civilians.

Suu Kyi wrote an open letter to the government asking for

the formation of an independent committee to hold democratic elections. Defying

a government ban on political gatherings of more than four persons, Suu Kyi spoke

to large audiences throughout Burma as Secretary-General of the newly formed

National League for Democracy (NLD). In 1989 she was placed under house

arrest. Despite her detention, the NLD won the election with 82 percent of the

parliamentary seats, but the military dictatorship refused to recognize the results.

Suu Kyi has remained in prison almost continuously since that time, rejecting the

governments ofer of freedom as it would require her to leave Burma. In 2003,

she was moved from prison and again placed under house arrest, which has been

repeatedly and illegally extended by the junta. She remains a living expression of

her peoples determination to gain political and economic freedoms. Awarded the

Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, Suu Kyi has called on citizens around the world to use

your liberty to promote ours.

I think by now I have made it fairly clear that I am not very happy with the word

hope. I dont believe in people just hoping. We work for what we want.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi


ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (18841962)

As chair and most inluential member of the United Nations

Human Rights Commission, Eleanor Roosevelt was the

driving force in creating the 1948 charter of liberties that

will always be her legacy: he Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.

Born in New York City, Eleanor married rising politician

Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1905 and became fully

immersed in public service. By the time they arrived in the White House in 1933

as President and First Lady, she was already deeply involved in human rights and

social justice issues. Continuing her work on behalf of all people, she advocated

equal rights for African-Americans, Depression-era workers and women, bringing

inspiration and attention to their causes. Courageously outspoken, she publicly

supported Marian Anderson when in 1939 the black singer was denied the use

of Washingtons Constitution Hall because of her race. Roosevelt saw to it that

Anderson performed instead on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, creating an

enduring and inspiring image of personal courage and human rights.

In 1946, Roosevelt was appointed as a delegate to the United Nations by President

Harry Truman who had succeeded to the White House ater the death of Franklin

Roosevelt in 1945. As head of the Human Rights Commission, she was instrumental

in formulating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which she submitted to

the United Nations General Assembly with these words:

We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations

and in the life of mankind. his declaration may well become the international

Magna Carta for all men everywhere.

Called First Lady of the World by President Truman for her lifelong humanitarian

achievements, Roosevelt worked to the end of her life to gain acceptance and

implementation of the rights set forth in the Declaration. he legacy of her words and

her work appears in the constitutions of scores of nations and in an evolving body of

international law that now protects the rights of men and women across the world.

Do what you feel in your heart to be rightfor youll be criticized anyway. Youll be

damned if you do, and damned if you dont.

Eleanor Roosevelt


MAHATMA GANDHI (18691948)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is widely recognized

as one of the twentieth centurys greatest political and

spiritual leaders. Honored in India as the father of the

nation, he pioneered and practiced the principle of

Satyagraha resistance to tyranny through mass nonviolent

civil disobedience. While leading nationwide campaigns to

ease poverty, expand womens rights, build religious and

ethnic harmony and eliminate the injustices of the caste system, Gandhi supremely

applied the principles of nonviolent civil disobedience to free India from foreign

domination. He was oten imprisoned for his actions, sometimes for years, but he

accomplished his aim in 1947 when India gained its independence from Britain.

Because of his stature, he is referred to as Mahatma, which means great soul. World

civil rights leaders from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Nelson Mandela have credited

Gandhi as a source of inspiration in their struggles to achieve equal rights for

their people.

When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have

always won. here have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem

invincible, but in the end they always fall. hink of italways.

Mahatma Gandhi


MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (19291968)

Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the twentieth centurys

best-known advocates for nonviolent social change. Born

in Atlanta, Georgia, Kings exceptional oratorical skills and

personal courage irst attracted national attention in 1955

when he and other civil rights activists were arrested ater

leading a boycott of a Montgomery, Alabama, transportation

company for requiring that nonwhites surrender their

seats to whites and stand or sit at the back of the bus. Over the next decade, King

wrote, spoke and organized nonviolent protests and mass demonstrations to draw

attention to racial discrimination and to demand civil rights legislation to protect

the rights of African-Americans. In 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, King guided

peaceful mass demonstrations that the white police force countered with police dogs

and ire hoses, creating a controversy that generated newspaper headlines around

the world. Subsequent mass demonstrations in many communities culminated in

a march that attracted more than 250,000 protestors to Washington, DC, where

King delivered his famous I have a dream speech in which he envisioned a world

in which people were no longer divided by race. So powerful was the movement

King inspired, Congress enacted the Civil Rights Act in 1964, the same year he

was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. Posthumously awarded the Presidential

Medal of Freedom, King is an icon of the civil rights movement. His life and work

symbolize the quest for equality and nondiscrimination that lies at the heart of the

Americanand humandream.

he ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and

convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King, Jr.


MUHAMMAD YUNUS (BORN 1940)

Economist and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has

become internationally renowned for his revolutionary

system of micro-creditthe extension of small loans to

entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank

loansthat has helped millions to escape poverty.

Born in 1940 in the seaport city of Chittagong, Bangladesh,

Yunus life is motivated by his vision of a world without

poverty. It began in 1976 when he saw village basket weavers living in abject poverty

despite their skill. Considered poor credit risks, the artisans were forced to borrow

money at high interest rates to purchase bamboo and made no proit ater repaying

moneylenders. From his own pocket, Yunus made a loan of $27 to a group of women

who repaid the funds and, for the irst time, made a small proit. Yunus realized that

by means of tiny loans and inancial services, he could help the poor free themselves

from poverty.

In 1983 he established the Grameen Bank (Village Bank), founded on his conviction

that credit is a fundamental human right. In a quarter of a century, the bank has

stood as the lagship of a 100-country network of similar institutions enabling

millions to escape poverty through individual economic empowerment. Professor

Yunus is a member of the board of the United Nations Foundation and the recipient

of numerous international awards for his humanitarian endeavors.

Here we were talking about economic development, about investing billions of dollars in

various programs, and I could see it wasnt billions of dollars people needed right away.

Muhammad Yunus


NELSON MANDELA (BORN 1918)

Nelson Mandela, one of the most recognizable human rights

symbols of the age, is a man whose dedication to the liberties

of his people inspires human rights advocates throughout

the world. Born in Transkei, South Africa, son of a tribal

chief, Mandela received a university degree and law degree.

In 1944, he joined the African National Congress (ANC)

and actively worked to abolish the apartheid policies of the

ruling National Party. On trial for his actions, Mandela declared, I have fought

against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have

cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together

in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and

to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

Sentenced to life imprisonment, Mandela became a powerful symbol of resistance

for the rising anti-apartheid movement, repeatedly refusing to compromise his

political position to obtain his freedom. Finally released in February 1990, he

intensiied the battle against oppression to attain the goals he and others had set

almost four decades earlier. In May 1994, Mandela was inaugurated as South Africas

irst black president, a position he held until 1999. He presided over the transition

from minority rule and apartheid, winning international respect for his advocacy

of national and international reconciliation. A worldwide celebration of his life and

rededication to his goals of freedom and equality took place on his 90th birthday

in 2008.

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to

him in his language, that goes to his heart.

Nelson Mandela


OSCAR ARIAS SNCHEZ (BORN 1940)

Oscar Arias Snchez won the respect of leaders and

humanitarians everywhere for bringing peace to Central

America. Born in 1940, he studied in the United States and

then earned a law degree in Costa Rica.

Elected president of Costa Rica in 1986, Arias Snchez

immediately put the world on notice that he intended to

restore peace in Central America by disentangling the

region from the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. In a

series of meetings with the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and

Nicaragua, Arias Snchez pressed to resolve the turmoil and end outside inluence

in Central America. He eventually gained approval of his peace plan, which called

for each country to limit the size of their armies, assure freedom of the press, and

hold free and open elections. he plan was successful and, with the signing of the

accords, ighting in the region came to an end.

In 1987, President Oscar Arias Snchez received the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing

peace to the region and used the monetary award to establish the Arias Foundation

for Peace and Human Progress. During his presidency, he frequently ventured into

the public without entourage or fanfare to listen to the concerns of the citizenry.

Ater the conclusion of his irst term in oice, he continued to be a man of the

people, promoting human security and development on many fronts. In 2006, he

was again elected president of Costa Rica and today continues to champion peace

and human rights.

he more freedom we enjoy, the greater the responsibility we bear, toward others as

well as ourselves.

Oscar Arias Snchez

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

ARTICLE 3 THE RIGHT TO LIFE

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

An estimated 6,500 people were killed in 2007 in armed conlict in Afghanistan, nearly half noncombatant civilian deaths at the hands of insurgents. Hundreds

of civilians were also killed in suicide attacks by armed groups.

In Brazil in 2007, according to oicial igures, police killed at least 1,260 individualsthe highest total to date. All incidents were oicially labeled acts

of resistance and received little or no investigation.

In Uganda, 1,500 people die each week in the internally displaced person camps. According to the World Health Organization, 500,000 have died in these camps.

Vietnamese authorities forced at least 75,000 drug addicts and prostitutes into 71 overpopulated rehab camps, labeling the detainees at high risk of contracting

HIV/AIDS but providing no treatment.


ARTICLE 4 NO SLAVERY

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

prohibited in all their forms.

In northern Uganda, the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) guerillas have kidnapped 20,000 children over the past 20 years and forced them into service as soldiers or

sexual slaves for the army.

In Guinea-Bissau, children as young as 5 are traicked out of the country to work in cotton ields in southern Senegal or as beggars in the capital city. In

Ghana, children 514 are tricked into dangerous jobs in the ishing industry

with false promises of education and jobs.

In Asia, Japan is the major destination country for traicked women, especially from the Philippines and hailand. Also, UNICEF estimates 60,000 child

prostitutes in the Philippines. he US State Department estimates 600,000 to

820,000 men, women and children are traicked across international borders

each year, likely a low estimate, half of whom are minors and including

record numbers of women and girls leeing from Iraq. In nearly all countries,

including Canada, the US and the UK, deportation or harassment are the usual

governmental responses, with no assistance services for the victims.

In the Dominican Republic, the operations of a traicking ring led to the deaths by asphyxiation of 25 Haitian migrant workers. In 2007, two civilians and two

military oicers received lenient prison sentences for their part in the operation.

In Somalia in 2007, more than 1,400 displaced Somalis and Ethiopian nationals

died at sea in traicking operations.


ARTICLE 5 NO TORTURE

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or

punishment.

In 2008, US authorities continued to hold 270 prisoners in Guantnamo Bay, Cuba, without charge or trial, with clear evidence of torture. Senior oicials

refused to denounce the practice of water-boarding, torture that simulates

drowning. Former President George W. Bush authorized the CIA to continue

secret detention and interrogation, despite its violation of international law.

In Iraq, US military personnel took over the Abu Ghraib prison (where Saddam Husseins government had tortured and executed dissidents) and tortured Iraqi

detainees.

In Darfur, violence, atrocities and abduction are rampant and outside aid all but cut of. Women in particular are the victims of unrestrained assault, with more

than 200 rapes in the vicinity of a displaced persons camp in one 5-week period,

with no efort by authorities to punish the perpetrators.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, acts of torture and ill treatment are routinely committed by government security services and armed groups,

including sustained beatings, stabbings and rapes of those in custody. Detainees

are held incommunicado, sometimes in secret detention sites. In 2007, the

Republican Guard (presidential guard) and Special Services police division in

Kinshasa arbitrarily detained and tortured numerous individuals labeled as

critics of the government.


ARTICLE 13 FREEDOM TO MOVE

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.

In Myanmar, thousands of citizens were detained, including 700 prisoners of conscience, most notably Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Imprisoned

or under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years in retaliation for her political

activities, she has refused government ofers of release that would require her to

leave the country.

In Algeria, refugees and asylum-seekers are frequent victims of detention, expulsion or ill treatment. Twenty-eight individuals from sub-Saharan African

countries with oicial refugee status from the United Nations High Commissioner

for Refugees (UNHCR) were deported to Mali ater being falsely tried, without

legal counsel or interpreters, on charges of entering Algeria illegally. hey were

dumped near a desert town where a Malian armed group was active, without

food, water or medical aid.

In Kenya, authorities violated international refugee law when they closed the border to thousands of people leeing armed conlict in Somalia. Asylum-seekers

were illegally detained at the Kenyan border without charge or trial and forcibly

returned to Somalia.

In northern Uganda, 1.6 million citizens remained in displacement camps in 2007. In the Acholi subregion, the area most afected by armed conlict, 63

percent of the 1.1 million people displaced in 2005 were still living in camps

two years later, with only 7,000 returned permanently to their places of origin.


ARTICLE 18 FREEDOM OF THOUGHT

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.

In Myanmar, the military junta crushed peaceful demonstrations led by monks, raided and closed monasteries, coniscated and destroyed property, shot, beat

and detained protesters, and harassed or held hostage the friends and family

members of the protesters.

In China, Falun Gong practitioners were singled out for torture and other abuses while in detention. Christians were persecuted for practicing their religion

outside state-sanctioned channels.

In Kazakhstan, local authorities in a community near Almaty authorized the destruction of 12 homes, all belonging to Hare Krishna members, falsely charging

that the land on which the homes were built had been illegally acquired. Only

homes belonging to members of the Hare Krishna community were destroyed.


ARTICLE 19 FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

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.

In Sudan, human rights defenders were arrested and tortured by national intelligence and security forces.

In Ethiopia, two prominent human rights defenders were convicted on false charges and sentenced to nearly three years in prison.

In Somalia, a prominent human rights defender was murdered.In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the government attacks and threatens human rights defenders and restricts freedom of expression and association.

Provisions of the 2004 Press Act were used by the government to censor

newspapers and limit freedom of expression.

Russia repressed political dissent, pressured or shut down independent media and harassed nongovernmental organizations. Peaceful public demonstrations

were dispersed with force, and lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists

were threatened and attacked. Twenty murders of journalists critical of

government policy remain unsolved.

In Iraq, at least 37 Iraqi employees of media networks were killed in 2008 and 235 since the invasion of March 2003, making Iraq the worlds most dangerous

place for journalists.


ARTICLE 21 RIGHT TO DEMOCRACY

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 to equal access to public service in his country.

3. he 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 sufrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting

procedures.

In Zimbabwe, hundreds of human rights defenders and members of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), were arrested

for participating in peaceful gatherings.

In Pakistan, President Musharraf ordered the arrest of thousands of lawyers, journalists, human rights defenders and political activists for demanding

democracy, the rule of law and an independent judiciary.

In Cuba, at the end of 2007, 62 prisoners of conscience continued in prison for their nonviolent political views or activities.

Many organizations around the world dedicate their eforts to the protection of human rights and bringing an end to human rights abuses. Major human rights organizations document violations and call for remedial action, both at a

governmental and grass-roots level. Public support and condemnation of abuses is

important to success, as human rights organizations are most efective when their

calls for reform are backed by strong public advocacy. United for Human Rights

encourages everyone to visit the following websites and to become active in one or

more of these organizations programs.

he descriptions of the organizations below are taken from their own sites.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for

internationally recognized human rights for all. With more than 2.2 million

members and subscribers in more than 150 countries, they conduct research and

generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights and to demand

justice for those whose rights have been violated. amnesty.org

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP)

he mission of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic

equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

naacp.org

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around

the world. hey investigate and expose human rights violations, hold abusers

HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONSAND INTERGOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT BODIES CONCERNED WITH HUMAN RIGHTS

HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS

accountable, and challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive

practices and respect international human rights law. hrw.org

HUMAN RIGHTS WITHOUT FRONTIERS (HRWF)

HRWF focuses on monitoring, research and analysis in the ield of human rights, as

well as promotion of democracy and the rule of law on the national and international

level. hrwf.net

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)

UNesCos goal is to build peace in the minds of men. Its work in the ield of human

rights aims to strengthen awareness and act as a catalyst for regional, national and

international action in human rights. unesco.org

CHILDRENS DEFENSE FUND (CDF)

he Childrens Defense Fund is a child advocacy organization that works to ensure

a level playing ield for all children. CDF champions policies and programs that lit

children out of poverty, protect them from abuse and neglect, and ensure their right

to equal care and education. childrensdefense.org

UNICEFUNITED NATIONS CHILDRENS FUND

UNICeF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the

protection of childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their

opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICeF mobilizes political will and

material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a

irst call for children. unicef.org

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER

he simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization

dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time. he Center generates changes

by confronting anti-semitism, hate and terrorism, promoting human rights and

dignity, standing with Israel, defending the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaching

the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. wiesenthal.com


UNITED NATIONS OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

he United Nations oice of the High Commissioner for Human Rights mission is

to work for the protection of human rights for all people; to help empower people

to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in

ensuring that they are implemented. ohchr.org

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

he oice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is mandated

to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee

problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being

of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum

and ind safe refuge in another state, with the option to return home voluntarily,

integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. unhcr.org/cgi

US STATE DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR

he state Departments Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor strives to

learn the truth and state the facts in all of its human rights investigations, annual

reports on country conditions, etc. he bureau takes action to stop ongoing abuses and

maintains partnerships with organizations committed to human rights. state.gov

OFFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)

he oice for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the osCe, comprised of

56 participating states from europe, Central Asia and North America, is engaged in

human rights activities focusing on freedom of movement and religion, preventing

torture and traicking in persons. osce.org/odihr

COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, COUNCIL OF EUROPE

he Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent institution within the

Council of europe, mandated to promote the awareness of and respect for human


rights in 47 Council of europe Member states. he Commissioners work thus

focuses on encouraging reform measures to achieve tangible improvement in

the area of human rights promotion and protection. As a nonjudicial institution,

the Commissioners office cannot act upon individual complaints, but the

Commissioner can draw conclusions and take wider initiatives on the basis of

reliable information regarding human rights violations sufered by individuals.

coe.int/t/commissioner

EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN

he european ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in

the institutions and bodies of the european Union. he ombudsman is completely

independent and impartial. ombudsman.europa.eu/home/en/default.htm

EUROPEAN COMMISSION EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

he european Commissions Directorate-General for employment, social Afairs

and equal opportunities works toward the creation of more and better jobs, an

inclusive society and equal opportunities for all. ec.europa.eu/social

AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS

he Commission is oicially charged with three major functions: the protection of

human and peoples rights, the promotion of human and peoples rights and the

interpretation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. achpr.org

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

he Asian Human Rights Commission works to achieve the following priorities,

among others: to protect and promote human rights by monitoring, investigating,

advocating and taking solidarity actions. ahrchk.net

Human rights organizations publish both annual reports and special reports on

speciic pressing human rights situations.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2008

World leaders owe an apology for failing to deliver on the promise of justice and

equality in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted 60 years

ago. In the past six decades, many governments have shown more interest in the

abuse of power or in the pursuit of political self-interest, than in respecting the

rights of those they lead. report2008.amnesty.org/eng/introduction

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH WORLD REPORT 2008

Rarely has democracy been so acclaimed yet so breached, so promoted yet so

disrespected, so important yet so disappointing. Today, democracy has become the

sine qua non of legitimacy. Few governments want to be seen as undemocratic.

Yet the credentials of the claimants have not kept pace with democracys growing

popularity. hrw.org/en/reports/2008/01/30/world-report-2008

UN OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Recent publications include a handbook for nongovernmental organizations and

a plan of action for a world program for human rights education. ohchr.org/EN/

PublicationsResources/Pages/Publications.aspx

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTSCURRENT REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTS

US STATE DEPARTMENT

he State Departments Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices survey

the situation of human rights around the world, except in the United States.

state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt

EU ANNUAL REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS

A global human rights report produced by the European Commission. In combating

terrorism and extremism, the promotion of human rights remains highly relevant.

ec.europa.eu/external_relations/human_rights/doc

ACTIVITY REPORT OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION

ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS

A report on the activities of the commission and human rights situations in African

countries. achpr.org/english/activity_reports/activity15_en.pdf

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY REPORT

his report is issued by the Asian Commission on Human Rights. he report

provides the state of human rights in eleven Asian nations.

material.ahrchk.net/hrreport/2007

Students are encouraged to search for other human rights reports published by

other governments and civil organizations.

Documents

Universal Declaration of Human Rights