The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly oI the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration
oI Human Rights the Iull text oI which appears in the Iollowing pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called
upon all Member countries to publicize the text oI 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
oI countries or territories."
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Human Rights Day 10 December
60th Anniversary oI the Universal Declaration oI Human Rights
PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition oI the inherent dignity and oI the equal and inalienable rights oI all members oI
the human Iamily is the Ioundation oI Ireedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt Ior human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged
the conscience oI mankind, and the advent oI a world in which human beings shall enjoy Ireedom oI
speech and belieI and Ireedom Irom Iear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration oI the
common people,
Whereas it is essential, iI 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 oI law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development oI Iriendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples oI the United Nations have in the Charter reaIIirmed their Iaith in Iundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth oI the human person and in the equal rights oI men and women
and have determined to promote social progress and better standards oI liIe in larger Ireedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations,
the promotion oI universal respect Ior and observance oI human rights and Iundamental Ireedoms,
Whereas a common understanding oI these rights and Ireedoms is oI the greatest importance Ior the
Iull realization oI this pledge,
Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard oI achievement Ior all peoples and all nations, to the
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end that every individual and every organ oI society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall
strive by teaching and education to promote respect Ior these rights and Ireedoms and by progressive
measures, national and international, to secure their universal and eIIective recognition and
observance, both among the peoples oI Member States themselves and among the peoples oI territories
under their jurisdiction.

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Article 1.
All human beings are born Iree and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason
and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit oI brotherhood.
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Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and Ireedoms set Iorth in this Declaration, without
distinction oI 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 oI the political, jurisdictional or international status oI the country or territory to
which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-selI-governing or under any other
limitation oI sovereignty.
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Article 3.
Everyone has the right to liIe, liberty and security oI person.
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Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all
their Iorms.
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Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
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Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person beIore the law.
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Article 7.
All are equal beIore the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection oI
the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation oI this
Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
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Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an eIIective remedy by the competent national tribunals Ior acts
violating the Iundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
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Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
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Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in Iull equality to a Iair and public hearing by an independent and impartial
tribunal, in the determination oI his rights and obligations and oI any criminal charge against him.
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Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal oIIence 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 Ior his
deIence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty oI any penal oIIence on account oI any act or omission which
did not constitute a penal oIIence, 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 oIIence was committed.
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Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interIerence with his privacy, Iamily, home or
correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the
protection oI the law against such interIerence or attacks.
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Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to Ireedom oI movement and residence within the borders oI each
state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
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Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum Irom persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case oI prosecutions genuinely arising Irom
non-political crimes or Irom acts contrary to the purposes and principles oI the United Nations.
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Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived oI his nationality nor denied the right to change his
nationality.
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Article 16.
(1) Men and women oI Iull age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have
the right to marry and to Iound a Iamily. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during
marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the Iree and Iull consent oI the intending spouses.
(3) The Iamily is the natural and Iundamental group unit oI society and is entitled to protection
by society and the State.
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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 oI his property.
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Article 18.
Everyone has the right to Ireedom oI thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
Ireedom to change his religion or belieI, and Ireedom, either alone or in community with others
and in public or private, to maniIest his religion or belieI in teaching, practice, worship and
observance.
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Article 19.
Everyone has the right to Ireedom oI opinion and expression; this right includes Ireedom to
hold opinions without interIerence and to seek, receive and impart inIormation and ideas through
any media and regardless oI Irontiers.
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Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to Ireedom oI peaceIul assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
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Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government oI his country, directly or through
Ireely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right oI equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will oI the people shall be the basis oI the authority oI government; this will shall be
expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suIIrage and
shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent Iree voting procedures.
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Article 22.

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Everyone, as a member oI society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization,
through national eIIort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and
resources oI each State, oI the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable Ior his dignity
and the Iree development oI his personality.
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Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to Iree choice oI employment, to just and Iavourable
conditions oI work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay Ior equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and Iavourable remuneration ensuring Ior himselI
and his Iamily an existence worthy oI human dignity, and supplemented, iI necessary, by other
means oI social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to Iorm and to join trade unions Ior the protection oI his interests.
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Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation oI working hours and
periodic holidays with pay.
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Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard oI living adequate Ior the health and well-being oI
himselI and oI his Iamily, including Iood, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social
services, and the right to security in the event oI unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age or other lack oI livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether
born in or out oI wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
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Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be Iree, at least in the elementary and
Iundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and proIessional
education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all
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on the basis oI merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the Iull development oI the human personality and to the
strengthening oI respect Ior human rights and Iundamental Ireedoms. It shall promote
understanding, tolerance and Iriendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall
Iurther the activities oI the United Nations Ior the maintenance oI peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind oI education that shall be given to their
children.
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Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right Ireely to participate in the cultural liIe oI the community, to enjoy
the arts and to share in scientiIic advancement and its beneIits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection oI the moral and material interests resulting Irom
any scientiIic, literary or artistic production oI which he is the author.
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Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and Ireedoms set
Iorth in this Declaration can be Iully realized.
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Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the Iree and Iull development oI his
personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise oI his rights and Ireedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations
as are determined by law solely Ior the purpose oI securing due recognition and respect Ior the
rights and Ireedoms oI others and oI meeting the just requirements oI morality, public order and
the general welIare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and Ireedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and
principles oI the United Nations.
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Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying Ior any State, group or person any
right to engage in any activity or to perIorm any act aimed at the destruction oI any oI the rights
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and Ireedoms set Iorth herein.


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