[Text on screen]: Contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind.

69 years ago the world came together to put a stop to tyranny.

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.

69 years ago the world’s nations created a historic document of essential rights.

What is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

After the atrocities of World War II, the international community said such barbarity must never happen again.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was a road map to dignity, equality and peace.

The drafting committee was chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt.

The British representative was Charles Duke, a trade unionist and Labour politician.

Did you know that Great British writers directly inspired the UDHR?

H.G. Wells, A.A. Milne and J.B. Priestly

They wrote the first "universal" bill of rights in 1939. The Declaration was officially proclaimed on 10th December 1948.

It contains core human rights like the right to life, the right to found a family, the right to work...

It says that human rights should apply to everyone without distinction…and that our rights can’t be separated from one another.

The UDHR has inspired over 200 human rights treaties, including The Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights.

It’s also the most translated document in the world. Versions of it exist in over 500 languages.

Documents like this paved the way for our modern human rights.

But in our uncertain times, their legacy is increasingly under threat.
We need to fight for our rights so the atrocities they were born from are never repeated.
Equality

What is The Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

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Published on 29 Nov 2019

You’ve probably heard of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but what is it exactly?

After the horrors of the Second World War, international bodies came together and sought that the heinous events of the past should never happen again. That’s where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or UDHR, comes into play. It ensures that humanity has a basic set of rules we are all entitled to, such as the right to life. But that’s just the basics; watch this video to find out more.

You can also read our explainers on the history of human rights.

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