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Preamble — Why UDHR Was Created

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

The Preamble recognises that:

  • Inherent dignity and equal rights of all humans are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.
  • Disregard for human rights leads to barbarous acts — as seen in World War II.
  • Human rights must be protected by the rule of law to prevent rebellion against tyranny.
  • Member States pledged to promote universal respect for human rights through the UN Charter.
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Article 1 — Equality & Dignity

Foundational Right
"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."

Simple Explanation

  • 🔹 Every human being is born free — no one enters the world as a slave or subject.
  • 🔹 All humans are equal in dignity — no person is inherently superior or inferior to another.
  • 🔹 Rights are inalienable — they cannot be taken away, sold, or surrendered.
  • 🔹 Humans possess reason (capacity to think and judge) and conscience (moral sense of right/wrong).
  • 🔹 We must treat each other in a spirit of brotherhood — as one human family.

Key Legal Terms

Inherent Dignity

Worth and respect owed to every person simply by virtue of being human — not earned or granted by the State.

Inalienable Rights

Rights that cannot be transferred, waived, or taken away under any circumstance.

Brotherhood

The principle that all humans belong to one family — the human family — regardless of nationality.

📌 Example: A person living in poverty has the same inherent dignity as a billionaire. The State cannot deny them basic respect or rights due to their economic status.
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Article 2 — Non-Discrimination

Core Principle
"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."

Simple Explanation

  • 🔹 UDHR rights apply to every person on earth — no exceptions.
  • 🔹 No distinction — whether you are rich or poor, male or female, from a powerful nation or a weak one.
  • 🔹 The political status of a person's country does not affect their rights (e.g., stateless persons, persons from colonies).

Prohibited Grounds of Discrimination

🏷️ Race
🎨 Colour
♀️ Sex
🗣️ Language
🕌 Religion
🗳️ Political Opinion
🌍 National Origin
🏘️ Social Origin
💰 Property
👶 Birth
📋 Other Status

Special Rule — Territorial Status (Part 2)

No distinction shall be made based on the political, jurisdictional, or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs — whether:

  • Independent
  • Under a trust (UN Trusteeship)
  • Non-self-governing (colonies)
  • Under any other limitation of sovereignty
📌 Example: A refugee or stateless person cannot be denied UDHR rights simply because they have no country. Their rights exist independently of nationality.
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Summary Table

Article Concept Core Meaning Key Points Example
Article 1 Equality & Dignity All humans born free & equal Inalienable rights; reason & conscience; spirit of brotherhood A homeless person has the same dignity as a billionaire
Article 2 Non-Discrimination Rights apply to ALL without distinction No discrimination on race, sex, religion, origin, status, etc.; includes stateless persons A refugee cannot be denied UDHR rights due to statelessness
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Key Concepts for Exams

1. Universality — UDHR rights belong to everyone, everywhere, at all times.
2. Inalienability — These rights cannot be removed or surrendered.
3. Indivisibility — All rights are equally important; none can be ranked above another.
4. Interdependence — Rights are connected; violation of one often leads to violation of others.
5. Non-Discrimination — The bedrock principle; rights cannot be conditional on identity or status.