UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948 |
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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, |
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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, |
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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, |
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WHEREAS
it is essential to promote the development
of friendly relations between nations, |
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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, |
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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, |
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WHEREAS
a common understanding of these rights
and freedoms is of the greatest importance
for the full realization of this
pledge, |
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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. |
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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. |
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2 | 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. |
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3 | Everyone
has the right to life, liberty and
security of person. |
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4 | No
one shall be held in slavery or servitude;
slavery and the slave trade shall
be prohibited in all their forms. |
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5 | No
one shall be subjected to torture
or to cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment. |
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6 | Everyone
has the right to recognition everywhere
as a person before the law. |
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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 the Declaration and against any
incitement to such discrimination. |
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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. |
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9 | No
one shall be subjected to arbitrary
arrest, detention or exile. |
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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. |
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11 | 1 | Everyone
charged with a penal offense 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 defense. |
2 | No
one shall be held guilty of any penal
offense on account of any act or
omission which did not constitute
a penal offense, under national or
international law, at the time it
was committed. Nor shall a heavier
penalty be imposed than the one that
was applicable at the time the penal
offense was committed. |
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12 | No
one shall be subjected to arbitrary
interference with his privacy, family,
home or correspondence, nor to attacks
upon his honor and reputation. Everyone
has the right to the protection of
the law against such interference
or attacks. |
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13 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to freedom of movement
and residence within the borders
of each state. |
2 | Everyone
has the right to leave any country,
including his own, and to return
to his country. |
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14 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to seek and to enjoy
in other countries asylum from persecution. |
2 | 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. |
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15 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to a nationality. |
2 | No
one shall be arbitrarily deprived
of his nationality nor denied the
right to change his nationality. |
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16 | 1 | 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. |
2 | Marriage
shall be entered into only with the
free and full consent of the intending
spouses. |
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3 | The
family is the natural and fundamental
group unit of society and is entitled
to protection by society and the
State. |
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17 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to own property alone
as well as in association with others. |
2 | No
one shall be arbitrarily deprived
of his property. |
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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. |
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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. |
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20 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to freedom of peaceful
assembly and association. |
2 | No
one may be compelled to belong to
an association. |
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21 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to take part in the
government of his country, directly
or through freely chosen representatives. |
2 | Everyone
has the right of equal access to
public service in his country. |
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3 | 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. |
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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. |
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23 | 1 | Everyone
has the right to work, to free choice
of employment, to just and favorable
conditions of work and to protection
against unemployment. |
2 | Everyone,
without any discrimination, has the
right to equal pay for equal work. |
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3 | Everyone
who works has the right to just and
favorable remuneration ensuring for
himself and his family an existence
worthy of human dignity, and supplemented,
if necessary, by other means of social
protection. |
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4 | Everyone
has the right to form and to join
trade unions for the protection of
his interests. |
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24 | Everyone
has the right to rest and leisure,
including reasonable limitation of
working hours and periodic holidays
with pay. |
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25 | 1 | 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. |
2 | 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. |
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26 | 1 | 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. |
2 | 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. |
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3 | Parents
have a prior right to choose the
kind of education that shall be given
to their children. |
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27 | 1 | 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. |
2 | 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. |
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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. |
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29 | 1 | Everyone
has duties to the community in which
alone the free and full development
of his personality is possible. |
2 | 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. |
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3 | These
rights and freedoms may in no case
be exercised contrary to the purposes
and principles of the United Nations. |
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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 |