RE: [greenyes] [off-topic] Today, December 10, is International Human Rights Day

["Patty Bates-Ballard" <pattyballard@no.address>]

Thanks for sending that Alan!

-Patty

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Muller [mailto:amuller@no.address] 
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 12:09 PM
To: greenyes@no.address
Subject: [greenyes] [off-topic] Today, December 10, is International Human
Rights Day

The Day marks the anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly's 
adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 
December 1948

Until a few minutes ago I had never actually read this.  Perhaps, 
especially this year, it would be fitting for us all take a few minutes and 
do so.   (Available in over 300 languages at 
http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/navigate/alpha.htm )

am

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights



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 1

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.

         ##END##