--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: "Kathos J. Mattai" <Nyakeh@AOL.COM>
To: LEONENET@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Human Rights for Whom?......The Victim or the Aggressor?
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 23:51:29 EDT
Message-ID: <643f671f.35f89e41@aol.com>
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(other language versions and materials)
Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10
December 1948
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,
The 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 effective recognition and observance, both among the
peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories
under
their jurisdiction.
Article I
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They 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.
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
Everyone charged with a penal offence 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.
No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or
omission which did not constitute a penal offence, 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
offence 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
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the
borders
of each State.
Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to
return
to his country.
Article 14
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum
from
persecution.
This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely
arising
from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and
principles
of the United Nations.
Article 15
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the
right
to change his nationality.
Article 16
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. They are
entitled to
equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the
intending spouses.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is
entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17
Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association
with
others.
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
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country,
directly
or through freely chosen representatives.
Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
The 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 suffrage 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 effort 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
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and
favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for
equal
work.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be
given
to their children.
Article 27
Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the
community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and
its
benefits.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material
interests
resulting from any scientific, 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
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full
development of his personality is possible.
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.
These 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.
) Copyright 1997
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Geneva, Switzerland
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