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TheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights

TheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights
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HumanRightsLaw
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PREAMBLE
Whereasrecognitionoftheinherentdignityandoftheequalandinalienablerightsofallmembersof
thehumanfamilyisthefoundationoffreedom,justiceandpeaceintheworld,
Whereasdisregardandcontemptforhumanrightshaveresultedinbarbarousactswhichhaveoutraged
theconscienceofmankind,andtheadventofaworldinwhichhumanbeingsshallenjoyfreedomof
speechandbeliefandfreedomfromfearandwanthasbeenproclaimedasthehighestaspirationofthe
commonpeople,
Whereasitisessential,ifmanisnottobecompelledtohaverecourse,asalastresort,torebellion
againsttyrannyandoppression,thathumanrightsshouldbeprotectedbytheruleoflaw,
Whereasitisessentialtopromotethedevelopmentoffriendlyrelationsbetweennations,
WhereasthepeoplesoftheUnitedNationshaveintheCharterreaffirmedtheirfaithinfundamental
humanrights,inthedignityandworthofthehumanpersonandintheequalrightsofmenandwomen
andhavedeterminedtopromotesocialprogressandbetterstandardsoflifeinlargerfreedom,
WhereasMemberStateshavepledgedthemselvestoachieve,incooperationwiththeUnitedNations,
thepromotionofuniversalrespectforandobservanceofhumanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms,
Whereasacommonunderstandingoftheserightsandfreedomsisofthegreatestimportanceforthefull
realizationofthispledge,
Now,ThereforeTHEGENERALASSEMBLYproclaimsTHISUNIVERSALDECLARATION
OFHUMANRIGHTSasacommonstandardofachievementforallpeoplesandallnations,tothe
endthateveryindividualandeveryorganofsociety,keepingthisDeclarationconstantlyinmind,shall
strivebyteachingandeducationtopromoterespectfortheserightsandfreedomsandbyprogressive
measures,nationalandinternational,tosecuretheiruniversalandeffectiverecognitionandobservance,
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TheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights

bothamongthepeoplesofMemberStatesthemselvesandamongthepeoplesofterritoriesundertheir
jurisdiction.

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Article1.
Allhumanbeingsarebornfreeandequalindignityandrights.Theyareendowedwithreason
andconscienceandshouldacttowardsoneanotherinaspiritofbrotherhood.
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Article2.
EveryoneisentitledtoalltherightsandfreedomssetforthinthisDeclaration,without
distinctionofanykind,suchasrace,colour,sex,language,religion,politicalorotheropinion,
nationalorsocialorigin,property,birthorotherstatus.Furthermore,nodistinctionshallbemade
onthebasisofthepolitical,jurisdictionalorinternationalstatusofthecountryorterritoryto
whichapersonbelongs,whetheritbeindependent,trust,nonselfgoverningorunderanyother
limitationofsovereignty.
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Article3.
Everyonehastherighttolife,libertyandsecurityofperson.
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Article4.
Nooneshallbeheldinslaveryorservitudeslaveryandtheslavetradeshallbeprohibitedinall
theirforms.
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Article5.
Nooneshallbesubjectedtotortureortocruel,inhumanordegradingtreatmentorpunishment.
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Article6.
Everyonehastherighttorecognitioneverywhereasapersonbeforethelaw.
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Article7.
Allareequalbeforethelawandareentitledwithoutanydiscriminationtoequalprotectionof
thelaw.Allareentitledtoequalprotectionagainstanydiscriminationinviolationofthis
Declarationandagainstanyincitementtosuchdiscrimination.
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Article8.
Everyonehastherighttoaneffectiveremedybythecompetentnationaltribunalsforacts
violatingthefundamentalrightsgrantedhimbytheconstitutionorbylaw.
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Article9.
Nooneshallbesubjectedtoarbitraryarrest,detentionorexile.
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Article10.
Everyoneisentitledinfullequalitytoafairandpublichearingbyanindependentandimpartial
tribunal,inthedeterminationofhisrightsandobligationsandofanycriminalchargeagainsthim.
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Article11.
(1)Everyonechargedwithapenaloffencehastherighttobepresumedinnocentuntilproved
guiltyaccordingtolawinapublictrialatwhichhehashadalltheguaranteesnecessaryforhis
defence.
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(2)Nooneshallbeheldguiltyofanypenaloffenceonaccountofanyactoromissionwhichdid
notconstituteapenaloffence,undernationalorinternationallaw,atthetimewhenitwas
committed.Norshallaheavierpenaltybeimposedthantheonethatwasapplicableatthetimethe
penaloffencewascommitted.
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Article12.
Nooneshallbesubjectedtoarbitraryinterferencewithhisprivacy,family,homeor
correspondence,nortoattacksuponhishonourandreputation.Everyonehastherighttothe
protectionofthelawagainstsuchinterferenceorattacks.
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Article13.
(1)Everyonehastherighttofreedomofmovementandresidencewithinthebordersofeach
state.
(2)Everyonehastherighttoleaveanycountry,includinghisown,andtoreturntohiscountry.
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Article14.
(1)Everyonehastherighttoseekandtoenjoyinothercountriesasylumfrompersecution.
(2)Thisrightmaynotbeinvokedinthecaseofprosecutionsgenuinelyarisingfromnon
politicalcrimesorfromactscontrarytothepurposesandprinciplesoftheUnitedNations.
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Article15.
(1)Everyonehastherighttoanationality.
(2)Nooneshallbearbitrarilydeprivedofhisnationalitynordeniedtherighttochangehis
nationality.
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Article16.
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(1)Menandwomenoffullage,withoutanylimitationduetorace,nationalityorreligion,have
therighttomarryandtofoundafamily.Theyareentitledtoequalrightsastomarriage,during
marriageandatitsdissolution.
(2)Marriageshallbeenteredintoonlywiththefreeandfullconsentoftheintendingspouses.
(3)Thefamilyisthenaturalandfundamentalgroupunitofsocietyandisentitledtoprotection
bysocietyandtheState.
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Article17.
(1)Everyonehastherighttoownpropertyaloneaswellasinassociationwithothers.
(2)Nooneshallbearbitrarilydeprivedofhisproperty.
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Article18.
Everyonehastherighttofreedomofthought,conscienceandreligionthisrightincludes
freedomtochangehisreligionorbelief,andfreedom,eitheraloneorincommunitywithothers
andinpublicorprivate,tomanifesthisreligionorbeliefinteaching,practice,worshipand
observance.
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Article19.

Everyonehastherighttofreedomofopinionandexpressionthisrightincludesfreedomtohold
opinionswithoutinterferenceandtoseek,receiveandimpartinformationandideasthroughany
mediaandregardlessoffrontiers.
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Article20.
(1)Everyonehastherighttofreedomofpeacefulassemblyandassociation.
(2)Noonemaybecompelledtobelongtoanassociation.
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Article21.
(1)Everyonehastherighttotakepartinthegovernmentofhiscountry,directlyorthrough
freelychosenrepresentatives.
(2)Everyonehastherightofequalaccesstopublicserviceinhiscountry.
(3)Thewillofthepeopleshallbethebasisoftheauthorityofgovernmentthiswillshallbe
expressedinperiodicandgenuineelectionswhichshallbebyuniversalandequalsuffrageand
shallbeheldbysecretvoteorbyequivalentfreevotingprocedures.
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Article22.
Everyone,asamemberofsociety,hastherighttosocialsecurityandisentitledtorealization,
throughnationaleffortandinternationalcooperationandinaccordancewiththeorganizationand
resourcesofeachState,oftheeconomic,socialandculturalrightsindispensableforhisdignity
andthefreedevelopmentofhispersonality.
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Article23.
(1)Everyonehastherighttowork,tofreechoiceofemployment,tojustandfavourable
conditionsofworkandtoprotectionagainstunemployment.
(2)Everyone,withoutanydiscrimination,hastherighttoequalpayforequalwork.
(3)Everyonewhoworkshastherighttojustandfavourableremunerationensuringforhimself
andhisfamilyanexistenceworthyofhumandignity,andsupplemented,ifnecessary,byother
meansofsocialprotection.
(4)Everyonehastherighttoformandtojointradeunionsfortheprotectionofhisinterests.
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Article24.
Everyonehastherighttorestandleisure,includingreasonablelimitationofworkinghoursand
periodicholidayswithpay.
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Article25.
(1)Everyonehastherighttoastandardoflivingadequateforthehealthandwellbeingof
himselfandofhisfamily,includingfood,clothing,housingandmedicalcareandnecessarysocial
services,andtherighttosecurityintheeventofunemployment,sickness,disability,widowhood,
oldageorotherlackoflivelihoodincircumstancesbeyondhiscontrol.
(2)Motherhoodandchildhoodareentitledtospecialcareandassistance.Allchildren,whether
borninoroutofwedlock,shallenjoythesamesocialprotection.
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Article26.
(1)Everyonehastherighttoeducation.Educationshallbefree,atleastintheelementaryand
fundamentalstages.Elementaryeducationshallbecompulsory.Technicalandprofessional
educationshallbemadegenerallyavailableandhighereducationshallbeequallyaccessibletoall
onthebasisofmerit.
(2)Educationshallbedirectedtothefulldevelopmentofthehumanpersonalityandtothe
strengtheningofrespectforhumanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms.Itshallpromote
understanding,toleranceandfriendshipamongallnations,racialorreligiousgroups,andshall
furthertheactivitiesoftheUnitedNationsforthemaintenanceofpeace.
(3)Parentshaveapriorrighttochoosethekindofeducationthatshallbegiventotheirchildren.
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Article27.
(1)Everyonehastherightfreelytoparticipateintheculturallifeofthecommunity,toenjoythe
artsandtoshareinscientificadvancementanditsbenefits.
(2)Everyonehastherighttotheprotectionofthemoralandmaterialinterestsresultingfrom
anyscientific,literaryorartisticproductionofwhichheistheauthor.
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Article28.
Everyoneisentitledtoasocialandinternationalorderinwhichtherightsandfreedomssetforth
inthisDeclarationcanbefullyrealized.

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Article29.
(1)Everyonehasdutiestothecommunityinwhichalonethefreeandfulldevelopmentofhis
personalityispossible.
(2)Intheexerciseofhisrightsandfreedoms,everyoneshallbesubjectonlytosuchlimitations
asaredeterminedbylawsolelyforthepurposeofsecuringduerecognitionandrespectforthe
rightsandfreedomsofothersandofmeetingthejustrequirementsofmorality,publicorderand
thegeneralwelfareinademocraticsociety.
(3)Theserightsandfreedomsmayinnocasebeexercisedcontrarytothepurposesand
principlesoftheUnitedNations.
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Article30.
NothinginthisDeclarationmaybeinterpretedasimplyingforanyState,grouporpersonany
righttoengageinanyactivityortoperformanyactaimedatthedestructionofanyoftherights
andfreedomssetforthherein.

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