Today we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); a document which set out a new direction for humanity.

The Declaration was a visionary document; a triumph of hope and optimism. It was the first global statement of universal human rights standards; of which we now take for granted. Article 1 proclaimed that “Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and with rights”.

Although the Declaration is not binding on states, by now it forms part of customary international law although its educational power over the years exceeded its legal effect.

For more see:
70th Anniversary of UDHR – opinion piece