Contents
Adopted by the General Assembly on December 10, 1948.
Preamble
Whereas the recognition of the inherent dignity of all members of the human family and their equal and inalienable rights is the basis of freedom, justice and universal peace; and
Whereas the disregard and contempt for human rights have led to barbaric attacks that revolt the conscience of mankind, and that the creation of a world in which people will have freedom of speech and belief and will be free from fear and want is proclaimed as the high aspiration of people; and
Considering that it is essential that human rights be protected by the rule of law in order to ensure that individuals are not forced to resort to rebellion against tyranny and oppression as a last resort; and
Considering that it is necessary to promote the development of friendly relations between peoples; and
Considering that the peoples of the United Nations have reaffirmed in the Charter their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equality of men and women, and have resolved to promote social progress and better living conditions in larger freedom; and
Considering that Member States have pledged to promote, in cooperation with the United Nations, universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and
Considering that a universal understanding of the nature of these rights and freedoms is essential to the full fulfillment of this obligation, the General Assembly proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a task to which all peoples and all nations must strive, so that every person and every organ of society, constantly keeping this Declaration in mind, has striven through enlightenment and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and to ensure, through national and international progressive measures, their universal and effective recognition and implementation both among the peoples of the Member States of the Organization, and among the peoples of the territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1
All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and must act towards each other in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
Everyone shall have all the rights and all 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, estate or other position.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, legal or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether that territory is independent, trust, non-self-governing or otherwise limited in its 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 or the slave trade is prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Every person, no matter where he is, has the right to recognition of his legal personality.
Article 7
All people are equal before the law and are entitled, without distinction, to equal protection of the law. All people have the right to equal protection against any discrimination that violates this Declaration, and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to effective restoration of rights by the competent national courts in cases of violation of his fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one may be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10
Every person, in order to determine his rights and obligations and to establish the validity of the criminal charge against him, has the right, on the basis of full equality, to have his case considered publicly and in compliance with all requirements of justice by an independent and impartial court.
Article 11
1. Every person charged with a crime has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had every opportunity to defend himself.
2. No one may be convicted of a crime on the basis of the commission of an act or inaction, which at the time of their commission did not constitute a crime under national laws or international law. Nor can a heavier punishment be imposed than the one that could have been applied at the time when the crime was committed.
Article 12
No one may be subjected to arbitrary interference with his personal and family life, arbitrary attacks on the inviolability of his home, the secrecy of his correspondence or his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or such encroachment.
Article 13
1. Everyone has the right to move freely and choose his place of residence within the boundaries of each state.
2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14
1. Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in other countries. 2. This right shall not be exercised in the event of prosecution in fact based on the commission of a non-political crime or an act contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
1. Everyone has the right to citizenship.
2. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of his citizenship or the right to change his citizenship.
Article 16
1. Men and women who have reached the age of majority have the right, without any restriction on grounds of race, nationality or religion, to marry and found a family. They enjoy the same rights in relation to entering into marriage, during the state of marriage and at the time of its dissolution.
2. A marriage may be concluded only with the free and full consent of both parties to the marriage.
3. The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and has the right to protection from society and the state.
Article 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.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change one’s religion or belief and freedom to practice one’s religion or belief, individually or in community with others, publicly or privately, in the teaching, worship, and performance of religious and ritualistic rites.
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to adhere freely to one’s beliefs and freedom to seek, receive and disseminate information and ideas by any means and regardless of state borders.
Article 20
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
2. No one may be forced to join any association.
Article 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 to equal access to public service in his country.
3. The will of the people must be the basis of the authority of the government; this will must find expression in periodic and non-falsified elections, which must be held with universal and equal suffrage, by secret ballot or by other equivalent forms ensuring freedom of voting.
Article 22
Each person, as a member of society, has the right to social security and to exercise the rights necessary in order to maintain his dignity and for the free development of his personality in the economic, social and cultural fields through national efforts and international cooperation and in accordance with the structure and resources of each state .
Article 23
1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of work, to fair and favorable working conditions, and to protection against unemployment.
2. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
3. Every worker has the right to a just and satisfactory remuneration ensuring a decent living for himself and his family and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social security.
4. Everyone has the right to create trade unions and join trade unions to protect their interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including the right to a reasonable restriction on working hours and to paid periodic leave.
Article 25
1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other loss of livelihood due to circumstances beyond his control.
2. Motherhood and infancy give the right to special care and assistance. All children born in or out of wedlock should enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26
1. Everyone has the right to education. Education should be free, at least with regard to primary and general education. Primary education must be compulsory. Technical and vocational education should be universally accessible, and higher education should be equally accessible to all based on the abilities of each.
2. Education should be aimed at the full development of the human personality and at increasing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Education should promote mutual understanding, tolerance and friendship among all peoples, racial and religious groups, and should contribute to United Nations peacekeeping.
3. Parents have a priority right in choosing the type of education for their young children.
Article 27
1. Everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of society, enjoy art, participate in scientific progress and enjoy its benefits.
2. Everyone has the right to protect his moral and material interests arising from scientific, literary or artistic works of which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone has the right to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
1. Everyone has duties to a society in which the free and full development of his personality is possible.
2. In the exercise of their rights and freedoms, each person shall be subject only to such restrictions as are established by law solely to ensure due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and to satisfy the fair requirements of morality, public order and general welfare in a democratic society.
3. The exercise of these rights and freedoms shall in no case be contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed as granting to any state, group of persons or individuals the right to engage in any activity or perform actions aimed at the destruction of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration.